WO2000047036A1 - Seedling container and method of making the same - Google Patents
Seedling container and method of making the same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2000047036A1 WO2000047036A1 PCT/CA2000/000075 CA0000075W WO0047036A1 WO 2000047036 A1 WO2000047036 A1 WO 2000047036A1 CA 0000075 W CA0000075 W CA 0000075W WO 0047036 A1 WO0047036 A1 WO 0047036A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- plant growth
- seedling container
- peat moss
- sleeve
- growth medium
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G24/00—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor
- A01G24/20—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor based on or containing natural organic material
- A01G24/28—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor based on or containing natural organic material containing peat, moss or sphagnum
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G24/00—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor
- A01G24/40—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor characterised by their structure
- A01G24/44—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor characterised by their structure in block, mat or sheet form
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G24/00—Growth substrates; Culture media; Apparatus or methods therefor
- A01G24/60—Apparatus for preparing growth substrates or culture media
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a seedling container and a method of making the same.
- Canadian Patent 939,905 describes a seedling container having a body of compressed peat moss encased in a thin, tubular, impermeable, flexible casing, which encases the side surface only of the body of compressed peat .
- United States Patent 4,245,431 describes an apparatus for making seedling tubes, such as those described in Canadian Patent 939,905.
- a seedling container that includes a sleeve filled with a compressed plant growth medium and having a first end, a second end, and a defining sidewall.
- the sidewall has at least one integrally formed tear away strip that extends between the first end and the second end.
- the sleeve When planting a seedling that has been grown in the seedling container, as described above; the sleeve is removed from around the plant growth medium by tearing away the tear away strip to open up the sidewall . This procedure can rapidly be performed and does not require any cutting tools. The seedling, still encased in plant growth medium, can then be planted.
- beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the seedling container, as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when several tear away strips in the form of ribs are used.
- the tear away rib strips serve as reinforcement allowing a thinner sidewall to be used.
- the rib strips also serve to direct root growth downward when the roots reach an interface between the plant growth medium and the sleeve.
- a method of manufacturing a seedling container involving the step of co-extruding an inner stream of compressed peat moss and an outer annular stream of polymer plastic. This forms a continuous flexible polymer plastic sleeve filled with compressed plant growth medium.
- the continuous coextruded sleeve with compressed plant growth medium is cut into individual lengths each having a first end, a second end and a defining sidewall with at least one integrally formed tear away strip that extends between the first end and the second end.
- This method of manufacture allows the seedling container described above to be manufactured in a continuous process at a comparatively high rate of production.
- FIGURE 1 is perspective view of a seedling container constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
- FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view, in section, of a method of manufacturing a seedling container as illustrated in FIGURE 1.
- FIGURES 1 and 2 The preferred embodiment, a seedling container generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2.
- seedling container 10 is manufactured by co-extruding an inner stream of plant growth medium, such as peat moss 30 and an outer annular stream of polymer plastic 32, thereby forming flexible polymer plastic sleeve 12 filled with compressed plant growth medium 14.
- Peat moss 30 is driven in a direction shown by arrow 33 by a screw drive 34 through a nozzle 36 of a peat extruder 38 to form a core of continuous length of compressed peat moss 30, with a substantially circular cross section.
- Molten thermoplastic preferably polyethylene with low tear strength properties is extruded as outer annular stream of polymer plastic 32 from a plastics extruder 44 through a film forming die 46 in the same direction 33 as peat moss 30.
- Peat moss 30 moves forward at a faster rate than molten plastic 32, so that molten plastic 32 is drawn down onto the surface of peat moss 30 which produces a plastic sleeve 12 about a compressed plant growth medium core 14.
- An air nozzle 47 cools and freezes the plastic sleeve 12 at the point at which it is drawn down to the diameter of the compressed peat moss core 14.
- peat moss core 14 is held tightly within sleeve 12. It is important that the peat moss 30 used in the manufacture of seedling container 10 have adequate porosity and density to support plant growth. If the density is too high, the growth rate of seedlings grown in the resultant container will be adversely affected. There is a correlation between the level of moisture in the peat moss and its density. The density decreases as the moisture content increases. The moisture content is preferably within a range of 70%w/w to 84%w/w. Beneficial results have been obtained with a moisture content in a narrower higher end of that range of 78%w/w to 82%w/w.
- the peat moss must not be allowed to become too wet or too dry. If the moisture content rises above 84w/w% the peat moss no longer holds together. If the peat moss is dried to less than 40% of its original moisture content, its moisture holding capacity is degraded.
- seedling container 10 has a flexible polymer plastic sleeve 12 filled with compressed plant growth medium 14, such as peat moss 30.
- Sleeve 12 has a first end 16, a second end 18 and a defining sidewall 20.
- Sidewall 20 has several integrally formed tear away rib strips 22 that extend between first end 16 and second end 18. Each seedling container 10, is turned on end and a depression is made in plant growth medium 14 at first end 16.
- Tear away strips 22 are, preferably, in the form of ribs which serve to direct root growth downward when the roots reach an interface between plant growth medium 14 and sleeve 12. After an appropriate length of time, when the seed has germinated and the resultant seedling 24 has grown sufficiently robust, it is sent to the field to be planted. Just prior to planting the seedling, one of rib strips 22 is torn away to open up sidewall 20 of sleeve 12 permitting sleeve 12 to be removed and discarded. Seedling 24, still encased in plant growth medium 14, is then planted.
- Seedling container 10 provides a number of significant advantages over the seedling container described in Canadian Patent 939,905. Seedling container 10 can be manufactured in a less labour intensive manner in a continuous manufacturing process at a higher production rate than was possible for the seedling container described in the 939,905 patent.
- the addition of the tear away strip 22 makes it easier to remove outer sleeve 12 without the necessity of using a knife or other sharp instrument. Tear away strips 22 are in the form of ribs, whereby root growth is directed downward when they reach an interface between plant growth medium 14 and sleeve 12. In the absence of ribs to direct root growth downward there is a danger that as the seedling will be strangled by its roots as it matures in sleeve 12.
- peat moss is used for illustration purposes, there are alternative plant growth mediums which may be used.
- finely shredded bark or other natural fibrous materials may be used in place of peat moss if it does not degrade during the growing of the seedling.
- other materials such as pearlite or vermiculite, may be mixed with peat moss in order to increase porosity of the peat moss to accept more nutrient solutions at the root level.
- the addition of other material is permissible, as long as such additions do not interfere with the integrity of the plant growth medium when sleeve 12 is removed .
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU24260/00A AU2426000A (en) | 1999-02-10 | 2000-02-02 | Seedling container and method of making the same |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/248,046 US6195938B1 (en) | 1999-01-29 | 1999-02-10 | Seedling container and method of making the same |
US09/248,046 | 1999-02-10 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2000047036A1 true WO2000047036A1 (en) | 2000-08-17 |
WO2000047036B1 WO2000047036B1 (en) | 2000-10-12 |
Family
ID=22937430
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/CA2000/000075 WO2000047036A1 (en) | 1999-02-10 | 2000-02-02 | Seedling container and method of making the same |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
AU (1) | AU2426000A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2000047036A1 (en) |
Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA939905A (en) | 1971-06-28 | 1974-01-15 | Research Council Of Alberta | Seedling container |
US4245431A (en) | 1979-05-30 | 1981-01-20 | Centre De Recherche Industrielle Du Quebec | Apparatus for making seedling tubes |
US4299056A (en) * | 1980-03-07 | 1981-11-10 | Towning Dennis J | Self-watering plant growing bag |
FR2491033A1 (en) * | 1980-04-09 | 1982-04-02 | Mure Guy | Tearable plant or shrub container - has completely detachable outer wall with longitudinal tongue pieces surrounded by lines of perforations |
US4369599A (en) * | 1978-02-09 | 1983-01-25 | Association Foret-Cellulose | Cultivation balls |
DE3616034A1 (en) * | 1986-05-13 | 1987-11-19 | Thimm Dorner Ute | Receptacle for receiving the root ball of plants, in particular flower pot |
GB2265536A (en) * | 1992-04-04 | 1993-10-06 | Wesley Morley Davies | Plant growing apparatus |
-
2000
- 2000-02-02 WO PCT/CA2000/000075 patent/WO2000047036A1/en active Application Filing
- 2000-02-02 AU AU24260/00A patent/AU2426000A/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA939905A (en) | 1971-06-28 | 1974-01-15 | Research Council Of Alberta | Seedling container |
GB1369124A (en) * | 1971-06-28 | 1974-10-02 | Alberta Res Council | Container units for propagating seedlings |
US4369599A (en) * | 1978-02-09 | 1983-01-25 | Association Foret-Cellulose | Cultivation balls |
US4245431A (en) | 1979-05-30 | 1981-01-20 | Centre De Recherche Industrielle Du Quebec | Apparatus for making seedling tubes |
US4299056A (en) * | 1980-03-07 | 1981-11-10 | Towning Dennis J | Self-watering plant growing bag |
FR2491033A1 (en) * | 1980-04-09 | 1982-04-02 | Mure Guy | Tearable plant or shrub container - has completely detachable outer wall with longitudinal tongue pieces surrounded by lines of perforations |
DE3616034A1 (en) * | 1986-05-13 | 1987-11-19 | Thimm Dorner Ute | Receptacle for receiving the root ball of plants, in particular flower pot |
GB2265536A (en) * | 1992-04-04 | 1993-10-06 | Wesley Morley Davies | Plant growing apparatus |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2000047036B1 (en) | 2000-10-12 |
AU2426000A (en) | 2000-08-29 |
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