Plant husbandry – Receptacle for growing medium – Irrigator
Patent
1989-03-31
1992-03-17
Scherbel, David A.
Plant husbandry
Receptacle for growing medium
Irrigator
A01G 902
Patent
active
050956523
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a Rastaplan.TM. system for the cultivation of plants, and more particularly, to a Rastaplan.TM. container which functions as an irrigator as well as a container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for maintaining a substrate of cultivation, comprising:
a base member having an irrigation canal for storing a supply of a vegetative liquid proximate to the substrate of cultivation;
first means for subirrigating the substrate of cultivation with the vegetative liquid, the first subirrigating means including an air chamber that is mounted on the base member and is separated from the substrate of cultivation by a perforated wall, and an inlet to the air chamber that is coupled to the irrigation canal;
second means for subirrigating the substrate of cultivation with the vegetative liquid, the second subirrigation means including a porous wall that is mounted on the base member about the perforated wall to contain the substrate of cultivation therebetween, and a bottom member that is mounted on the base member beneath the substrate of cultivation and is attached between the perforated wall and the porous wall, the porous wall having capillarity and the bottom member fluidically coupling the air chamber to the porous wall; and
means for controlling admission of the vegetative liquid to the first and second subirrigating means so as to maintain the supply of vegetative liquid between a maximum level and a minimum level, whereby the bottom member is disposed at a level that is intermediate of the maximum and minimum levels such that the first subirrigating means intermittently subirrigates the substrate of cultivation through the perforated wall when the supply of vegetative liquid is above the intermediate level, and the second subirrigating means continuously subirrigates the substrate of cultivation peripherally through the porous wall when the supply of vegetative liquid is above the minimum level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and advantages, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, of which:
The single FIGURE illustrates a Rastaplan.TM. container in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A Rastaplan.TM. container in accordance with the invention, in addition to its main task as a container of the substrate, may also be used as an irrigator by properly constructing the container and choosing tufted materials for cultivation. In other words, the Rastaplan.TM. container of the invention interacts positively and actively with that small confined environment that is the substrate of cultivation so as to assure extremely good conditions for the growth and life of the root system on which the plant depends.
These conditions for the growth and life of the root system include:
sufficient and constant humidity;
good drainage;
sufficient circulation of air; and
good thermal heat insulation as a defense against a sudden change in external temperature.
As illustrated in the FIGURE, the Rastaplan.TM. container in accordance with the invention is made up of a container structure 1 of plastic material or some other impermeable material. Preferably, the container structure 1 is equipped with an underneath truncated cone chamber 1a with windows or microperforations, the chamber 1a acting as an air or a dripping chamber which permits an aerated subirrigation channel around its own internal circumference. The container of the invention further includes a septum porous-roller 2 without a bottom, functioning as a continuous subirrigator of the substrate of cultivation. The septum-roller 2 is made up mainly of porous-inert materials and plastic polymers chosen for their functions of capillary reascending of the water, hydric retention and air capacity. The septum-roller 2 stands between the water a
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S.a.s. di D. Ielo & C.
Scherbel David A.
Van Patten Michele A.
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