This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 098123058, filed on Jul. 8, 2009.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a growing device, more particularly to a plant growing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a plant is grown, many factors, such as a growing medium (e.g., soil, wood chip, etc.), an extrinsic element (e.g., light, water, temperature, fertilizer, etc.), and an intrinsic property of the plant, may influence growth of the plant. Several of the aforementioned factors must be particularly taken into account so as to successfully grow the plant.
Since cell division, cell growth, and cell differentiation only can proceed when water in plant cells is in a saturation state, water supply is essential for growth of a plant. Consequently, when water supply is insufficient, a plant may stop growing. Furthermore, deficiency of water may adversely affect respiration and photosynthesis.
Light is also important for a plant. A plant requires sufficient light to synthesize adequate photosynthetic products so that the same is able to grow. Moreover, irradiation by light is necessary for plant germination, development of leaves, etc. When plants to be cultivated are not sufficiently spaced apart, the plants may have difficulty in receiving light during cultivation such that growth of the plants is negatively influenced.
Fertilizer affects growth of a plant as well. Generally, fertilizer is able to supply nutrients to a plant. Suitability of fertilizer in a growing medium to a plant and distribution of the fertilizer in the growing medium must be considered so as to grow a plant. A conventional way to use fertilizer is to dispose the fertilizer on an outer layer of soil in which a plant is grown. However, the fertilizer may be unable to effectively penetrate the soil such that the plant is incapable of sufficiently absorbing the fertilizer.
In addition, pests and viruses have to be prevented.
The object of the present invention is to provide a plant growing device that is suitable for growth of a plant.
According to this invention, a plant growing device includes an envelope and a plant growing medium. The envelope is made of a sheet material and has substantially planar first and second walls, a surrounding wall connected between the first and second walls, and a plurality of openings formed in the second wall and adapted to permit extension of plants. The plant growing medium is enclosed by the envelope, and includes a water-absorptive material selected from the group consisting of a polymeric foam, saw dust, charcoal, soil, sand, wood pulp, polymeric fibrous substances, and natural fiber materials.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
The envelope 21 is made of a sheet material and has substantially planar first and second walls 211,231, a surrounding wall 210 that is connected between the first and second walls 211,231, and a plurality of openings 232 that are formed in the second wall 231 and that are adapted to permit extension of plants 9 (see
The sheet material may be liquid permeable non-woven fabric, a polymer, or a degradable plastic such as a photodegradable plastic, a disintegrable plastic, and a biologically degradable plastic. In this embodiment, the sheet material is degradable polyethylene or polypropylene, thereby being environmentally friendly. The envelope 21 in this embodiment further has a plurality of drain holes 212 formed in the first wall 211.
Each of the openings 232 is tapered from an outer surface of the second wall 231 to an inner surface of the second wall 231. An opening-defining wall of each of the openings 232 has a shape of a truncated cone. Each of the drain holes 212 is tapered from an outer surface of the first wall 211 to an inner surface of the first wall 211. A drain-hole defining wall of each of the drain holes 212 has a shape of a truncated cone. The first and second walls 211, 231 may be perforated using a water perforation process, a mechanical perforation process, or a vacuum perforation process such that the openings 232 and the drain holes 212 can be formed.
Size of the openings 232 and distances between the openings 232 may be designed for the plants 9 such that the plants 9 are able to extend through the respective openings 232 when growing, and such that the plants 9 have enough space for growth after the same extend through the respective openings 232 (see
The plant growing medium 22 is enclosed by the envelope 21, and includes a water-absorptive material that is selected from the group consisting of a polymeric foam, saw dust, charcoal, soil, sand, wood pulp, polymeric fibrous substances, and natural fiber materials. Seeds 8 are disposed in the plant growing medium 22. In this embodiment, the seeds 8 are mixed with the plant growing medium 22 during production of the plant growing device 2.
The plant growing medium 22 contains a nutrient 24 adapted to nourish the seeds 8 (i.e., the plants 9). The nutrient 24 may be an organic fertilizer, a chemical fertilizer, or a microbial fertilizer. Preferably, the nutrient 24 is predetermined so as to be optimal for the seeds 8 (i.e., the plants 9) and the plant growing medium 22. The nutrient 24 is uniformly mixed with the plant growing medium 22 such that the seeds 8 (i.e., the plants 9) are able to sufficiently absorb the nutrient 24.
Referring to
Since the envelope 21 in this embodiment is made from polyethylene or polypropylene, the second wall 231 covering the plant growing medium 22 is able to prevent water in the plant growing medium 22 from easily evaporating. Thus, water can be conserved in the plant growing medium 22. Furthermore, humidity and a temperature of the plant growing medium 22 can be maintained. The plant growing device 2 is hence suitable for a dry environment. The envelope 21 is also capable of prohibiting pests and viruses from easily reaching the plant growing medium 22, thereby being able to protect the plants 9 cultivated in the plant growing medium 22.
When the plants 9 cultivated in the plant growing device 2 are required to be moved to a desired location, the plant growing device 2, which has the plants 9 cultivated therein, may be directly moved to the desired location since the envelope 21 securely encloses the plant growing medium 22. Consequently, the plants 9 are not necessary to be removed from the plant growing medium 22 for relocating.
Referring to
Referring to
The nutrient supplements 6 are disposed on regions of an outer surface of the second wall 231, which do not cover the openings 232. Each of the nutrient supplements 6 includes a liquid permeable nutrient retainer 63 that is removably attached to the second wall 231, and a nutrient (not shown) that is held by the nutrient retainer 63 and that is adapted to nourish the seeds 8 (i.e., the plants 9). The nutrient retainer 63 includes first and second liquid permeable layers 631,632 that sandwiches the nutrient. The first liquid permeable layer 631 is removably attached to the second wall 231. First through-holes (not shown) are formed in the first liquid permeable layer 631, and second through-holes 634 are formed in the second liquid permeable layer 632. In this embodiment, the nutrient in the nutrient retainer 63 is water-soluble.
When water is supplied to the plant growing device 2, a portion of the water flows into the nutrient retainer 63 via the second through-holes 634 of the second liquid permeable layer 632 and subsequently flows out of the nutrient retainer 63 via the first through-holes of the first liquid permeable layer 631. The portion of the water, which flows into and out of the nutrient retainer 63, is able to carry a portion of the nutrient in the nutrient retainer 63 into the plant growing medium 22 through the micro-holes 233 and the flow guide channels 234. Thus, additional nutrition can be supplied to the plant growing medium 22. When one of the nutrient supplements 6 has insufficient nutrient therein, the same can be removed from the second wall 231 and replaced by a new nutrient supplement 6. As a result, the plant growing device 2 can be supplemented with unlimited nutrients.
The first and second flow diverting partitions 341,392 divide an interior space of the envelope 31 into a plurality of rooms that are intercommunicated to form a multi-turn flow passage 35. When water flows into the plant growing medium 22 through the liquid entrance hole 300, water flows along the multi-turn flow passage 35 and is able reach each portion of the plant growing medium 22. Accordingly, each portion of the plant growing medium 22 is capable of sufficiently absorbing water. Excess water can be drained by virtue of the drain hole 330 in the surrounding wall 310. While the first and second flow diverting partitions 341, 392 are configured as partition plates in this embodiment, they should not be limited only thereto. The first and second flow diverting partitions 341, 342 may also be configured as heat sealed seams that are formed by thermal bonding the second wall 331 to the first wall 311 through a high frequency heat sealing process and that divide the interior of the envelope 31 to form the multi-turn flow passage 35.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation and equivalent arrangements.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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098123058 | Jul 2009 | TW | national |