The present invention relates to plant growing systems, particularly to a new, improved apparatus and method for growing plants in a portable self-contained container.
Most potted plants die prematurely due to the stressful environment created by the plant's owner. That stressful environment is primarily caused by the overwatering of the soil which in turn, because of the reduced porosity of the soil, prevents the presence of oxygen near the plant's roots. Indeed, approximately 80- 85% of all potted plants die prematurely due to excessive water levels in the container, commonly known as the overwatering syndrome. Prior systems do not allow for proper drainage to prevent overwatering. Plant owners have long sought for plant containers and soil compositions which could overcome the stressful effects of overwatering. Conversely, plant owners do not want to risk underwatering either.
It is well known that plants should be watered by subirrigation systems. That is, plant growers have always appreciated the benefits of having a water reservoir beneath the soil bed from which the plant could draw water, just as nature provides water for all outdoor plants. One method of drawing water up to the plant was by using wicks or sponges. However, those devices proved ineffective and, because of their quick deterioration, needed to be replaced frequently. Moreover, wicks and sponges fail to evenly distribute the water throughout the soil. The preferred method is by soil capillary action.
Soil will draw up water by capillary action, a phenomenon caused by the adhesion of water molecules to soil particle surfaces due to surface tension. Watering by use of a subirrigated reservoir, particularly by capillary action, allows the plant owner to water the plant less frequently. Moreover, using capillary action directly through the soil eliminates the need for wicks or sponges.
Wholesale growers desire water reservoir systems realizing that their plants will not get watered during shipment or while sitting with a retailer awaiting final sale, a time period which could be months. Unwatered plants which die prior to final sale are costs that traditionally are borne by the wholesale grower.
Moreover, a water reservoir eliminates the need to supply water to the plant by overhead watering. Because many growers water by overhead sprinkler systems, the elimination of such systems reduces the amount of water needed to maintain plants. For large commercial growers, the water saved is quite substantial. Moreover, when water is not supplied by overhead watering, pesticides are not washed off leaves and are effective longer. Plants are sprayed less frequently, resulting in a substantial savings for the grower and reduced risk to the environment.
Overhead watering flushes and removes plant nutrients from the soil nutrients. By using a water reservoir and capillary action, soil nutrients remain in the soil. Concomitantly, due to inverted leaching, certain compounds, such as salt, which are harmful to the plant when concentrated near roots, will steadily move out of the primary root zone as fresh water rises out of the reservoir.
It is also known that most plants thrive in humid conditions. Water reservoirs cause much humidity around the plant's foliage, creating a beneficial environment for the plant.
The prior art shows several types of subirrigation watering systems. See, for example, Hitchcock U.S. Pat. No. 1,221,499; Moriarty U.S. Pat. No. 2,387,340; Potain U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,410; Bigglestone U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,593; Magee U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,175; and Smith U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,351. Each recognize some of the aforementioned advantages of subirrigation watering systems. However, many of the systems are unduly complicated and thus cannot be produced at a reasonable cost. Some of those systems, such as the devices disclosed in the patents to Moriarty and Potain, employ an inner and outer container wherein the outer container merely holds water for the soil contained in the inner container. Others, such as the devices shown in the patents to Magee and Smith, do not provide for a means to guarantee that the soil will never be overwatered. Other devices, such as the ones disclosed in the patent to Magee and in Wong and Carlisle U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,868,787 and 4,179,846, respectively, are directed to hydroponic plants, those with roots immersed in a soilless solution.
Another critical problem with prior subirrigation plant watering systems is the inability to supply sufficient amounts of oxygen to the soil and plant root structure. As previously discussed, an aerobic environment is crucial to the well being of a plant. Devices which have outer containers filled with water to be drawn in by the soil in the inner container do not allow oxygen around the saturated soil, and consequently, roots deteriorate.
Another problem with many other planters is the inability to control plant parasites and disease organisms near the bottom of the container. This harmful growth is facilitated by planters which have holes near the bottom of the container. Some states, particularly California, require that commercial growers minimize disease and thus require growers to place the container well above the ground. Such steps are also necessary for the grower to obtain state certification, which indicates that he has taken the necessary precautions against nematodes. Thus, it would be desirable to have no holes near the bottom of the container but still provide proper drainage in the event of overwatering. In addition, by having no such holes, the container will prevent water contamination, another problem faced by all commercial growers.
Moreover, many planters with water reservoirs have no means for preventing the spillage of the water when the plant is being moved. Many prior art devices tend to be too messy for certain uses, such as for use in the home or office. It is, therefore, advantageous if the water reservoir is not free to pour out of the container but still be accessible for periodic refilling.
Another advantage of the container holes as disclosed in the present invention is that they allow soil nutrients to remain in the water reservoir for recirculation into the soil bed. When water enters the soil by overhead watering or rainfall, excess water will leave by the container holes rather than mixing with the nutrient-rich water in the reservoir and flushing the reservoir water out of the reservoir. This conserves nutrients and minimizes contamination of the environment. The prior art devices with container holes force mixing of the overhead water with the reservoir water.
Thus, the plant grower, whether at home, in the office or at the commercial nursery, require an inexpensive, simple plant growing system which would provide the proper amount of water and oxygen to the plant so as to eliminate the harmful effects caused by overwatering. Also, there is a need for a less complicated and thus less costly planter having all of the benefits of capillary feeding. The grower also needs a planter that will prevent excessive water spillage during the transportation of the plant but still wants all of the benefits of a system that uses capillary feeding.
Although the present invention has various objectives, they will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.