DE29721381U1 - Planting area in the form of a plant container or a plant bed - Google Patents

Description

Dipl.-lng. A. v. Kirschbaum Patent Attorney

D-82U0 Germering Bahnhofplatz 2 Telephone: (089) 89 42 73 22

Attorney file: HH-2000

Ottmar Hofheinz

Linienstr.llO 82041 Deisenhofen

Planting area in the form of a plant container or a plant bed

Patent Attorney von Kirschbaum ·"*· ***· ·· »* ^# j Anj/a ^# !ljtsa*k!te: HH-2000

The invention relates to a planting area in the form of a planting container, for example a plant box, or a planting bed.

Many types of vegetables, such as lettuce, cabbage, etc., flowers, such as marigolds, petunias, tulips, etc., and especially herbs, such as basil, dill, etc., can hardly be grown anymore because they are eaten or eaten by slugs when they are still young. Slugs are becoming increasingly widespread because they have no natural enemies in Central Europe. Fighting these slugs with chemical pesticides is, on the one hand, extremely unfriendly to the environment and, on the other hand, only successful for a short time, because some of these pesticides are quickly diluted so much by irrigation or rainwater that they are largely ineffective.

The object of the invention is therefore to design a planting area in the form of a planting container or a planting bed in such a way that it is guaranteed that slugs are kept away from the planted crops.

According to the invention, this is achieved in a planting area in the form of a plant container, for example a plant box, by the features in the characterizing part of claim 1 and in a planting area in the form of a plant bed by the features in the characterizing part of claim 8. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the claims that directly or indirectly refer back to one of the preceding claims.

According to a first preferred embodiment of a planting area in the form of a planting container, for example a plant box, a plant trough, etc., on its underside there is a with respect to at least part of its outer

Patent Attorney von Kirschbaum .**·***! ·· ·**· Patent Attorney Number: HH-2000

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The support is set back from the outside and creates a certain distance from the ground, for example in the form of a frame that runs approximately parallel to at least part of the outer circumference of the container. The support is preferably dimensioned in the form of a closed, all-round frame so that a peripheral edge area remains free on the underside of the container. A large number of needle-shaped prongs, arranged very close together and directed towards the ground, protrude from this edge area from the underside of the container in a self-contained "fence".

According to a preferred embodiment, a close-meshed grid, for example a metal grid in the form of a fly screen, is attached in the edge region in such a way that needle-shaped prongs project downwards from the lowest strip of a part of the grid bent approximately at a right angle and thus approximately perpendicular to the underside of the container.

Extensive tests by the applicant have shown that slugs in particular are unable to overcome such a "fence" made up of closely spaced spikes and thus the slugs cannot penetrate the crops planted in the plant containers. The solution according to the invention thus creates an extremely environmentally friendly and very effective measure to keep slugs that prefer certain crops away from them and in particular to protect the young plants of such crops from these slugs.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one, but generally several feet are provided as a support on the underside of a plant container. In order to prevent the slugs from getting to the

Patent attorney von Kirschbaum .*.**. .. . . Attorney class: KH-200Q

In order to prevent slugs from reaching the crops housed in the container raised in this way, a close-meshed metal grid is attached to the end of the base facing the container. This grid has the shape of a truncated cone that widens downwards, from the free end of which protrude a large number of fine needle-shaped prongs that extend in extension of the surface of the truncated cone. As already explained above, the slugs that are to be kept away from the crops are not able to overcome this type of "fence" made up of needle-shaped prongs arranged closely next to one another.

To prevent snails from entering through the drainage holes in the bottom of the plant containers, the bottom inside the plant container is covered with a geotextile fleece. This fleece should be attached to the edges surrounding the holes so that snails cannot penetrate under the geotextile fleece covering the drainage holes.

In order to protect a planting area in the form of a planting bed from slugs, according to the invention a self-contained border is provided around the entire planting bed, from the top of which a self-contained "fence" protrudes, made up of a large number of fine, needle-shaped prongs that are aligned approximately vertically upwards and arranged very close to one another. To protect against injuries, a cover strip is expediently provided at an appropriate distance above the needle-shaped prongs.

To prevent slugs from penetrating under the border provided at the edge of the planting bed, the planting bed is dug out to a desired depth; the border according to the invention is then enclosed around the dug out bed with a "fence" made of fine,

Patent Attorney von Kirschbaum .·*.**".'. .**. WaitVä&e: HH-2000

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del-shaped spikes pointing upwards are provided. The bottom of the bed and the bed walls are then lined with a continuous metal grid and a geotextile fleece arranged on top. The two materials, namely the close-meshed metal grid and the geotextile fleece, are attached to the border provided around the planting bed. The previously excavated soil is then filled back into the planting bed. These measures prevent snails or voles from getting under the frame, nor snails from getting over the frame to the crops planted in the bed prepared in this way.

To retrofit existing plant containers or plant beds, a profile frame with a roughly C-shaped cross-section, preferably made of weather-resistant plastic, can be attached to them, from whose lower leg area or curved intermediate area a large number of fine, needle-shaped prongs of a close-meshed grid protrude, aligned approximately vertically upwards or approximately horizontally towards the open area. Such a profile frame ensures that the slugs cannot overcome this "fence" made of fine, needle-shaped prongs. Furthermore, injuries can be largely ruled out by the upper leg area of the profile frame being arranged at a sufficient distance above the prong tips.

The invention is explained in detail below using preferred embodiments based on the drawings. They show:

Patent Attorneys Kirschbaum .*'.***! .1 .**. &Agr;&eegr;^&ngr;^&phgr;&bgr;: HH-2000

Fig.l shows a schematic perspective view from below a preferred embodiment of a plant container according to the invention;

Fig.2 a sectional view of a modification of the plant container of Fig.l

/ Fig. 3 a preferred embodiment of a mounting

according to the invention with protective grille; 10

Fig.4 is a schematic sectional view through a planting bed according to the invention;

Fig. 5 a detailed view of a border of the planting bed in Fig.4, and

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a profile frame according to the invention for retrofitting existing plant containers or beds.

In Fig.l, a plant container 10, for example a plant box or a plant trough, is shown schematically in a perspective representation not to scale, on the underside of which a 10 cm high, self-contained rectangular frame 2 is provided as a support, which is set back from the outer circumference 12 of the plant container 10. In the edge area 11 thus created on the underside of the container 10, a large number of closely arranged, needle-shaped prongs 30 are provided, which are aligned towards a base not shown in detail in Fig.l in such a way that in the embodiment shown they protrude approximately vertically from the underside of the plant box 10. These closely arranged needle-shaped prongs 30 form a self-contained

Patent attorney'von Kirschbaum .'*. ···; .! .**. Anjftn.t%Wflte: HH-2000

A "fence" is formed on the underside of the plant container 10, which is insurmountable for slugs.

Such a fence made of closely spaced needle-shaped prongs 30 can be produced by attaching a close-meshed grid (not shown in detail in Fig. 1), preferably a metal grid in the form of a fly screen, to the underside of the container 10 in the edge region 11, which corresponds to the embodiment of a mesh grid 3 shown not to scale in Fig. 5. A mesh grid 3 corresponding to the illustration in Fig. 5 is attached to the edge region 11 in such a way that part of the grid is bent at a right angle to the underside of the container 10 and fine needle-shaped prongs 30 project downwards from the lowest strip of the grid, which correspond to the fine needle-shaped prongs 30 shown in Fig. 5 and projecting from the uppermost strip 31 of the mesh grid 3.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of a modified version of the plant container of Fig. 1. An intermediate part 4 is provided on the underside of the plant container 10, to the outer edge of which, running perpendicular to the underside of the container, a close-meshed grid corresponding to the grid 3 in Fig. 5 is attached by means of a surrounding cover 40 in such a way that the fine needle-shaped prongs 30 protrude a little beyond the intermediate part 4. The intermediate part 4 is supported, for example, by a frame 2' corresponding to the frame 2 in Fig. 1.

In Fig.3, a preferred embodiment of a support is shown in the form of a base 20 about 10 cm high, which is closed at its upper end in Fig. 3 by a plate 21 in which, in the embodiment shown, four holes 22 are provided through which, for example,

Patent Attorney von Kirschbaum ** ♦·»· ♦ *· Anvfsltwaffte; HH-2000

A foot 20 can be attached to the underside of a plant container 10 by means of screws. Close to the upper end of the foot 20 on the container side in Fig.3, a close-meshed metal grid 3' in the form of a truncated cone 32 widening downwards is attached around it in such a way that a large number of fine needle-shaped prongs 30 pointing diagonally downwards protrude in extension of the truncated cone surface lines.

Depending on the size of the plant container to be erected, a corresponding number of the feet 20 shown schematically in Fig.3 with the attached truncated cone-shaped, close-meshed metal grid 3' are attached to the bottom of the container. The metal grid 3', as extensive tests by the applicant have shown, represents an insurmountable obstacle for slugs and therefore also represents excellent protection for plant cultures that are housed in a container.

In Fig.4, a schematic, non-scale representation shows a sectional view of a plant bed 5 that is surrounded by a border 50 in which a close-meshed grid 3, preferably a metal grid in the form of a fly screen, is held in the manner shown in the detailed representation in Fig.5. A large number of fine needle-shaped prongs 30 protrude approximately vertically upwards from the uppermost strip 31 of the mesh grid 3. In order to avoid injuries, a cover 51 is provided at an appropriate distance above the border 50.

In order to protect a plant culture (not shown in detail in Fig.4) in the planting bed 5 not only from snails but also from voles, when creating a planting bed of the desired size, the soil is first dug out and then a border corresponding to the border 50 is made at the upper edge of the dug planting bed 5.

Patent Attorney'von Kirschbaum . ^t# , ***l ,1 .**, An^V^^e*· HH-2000

the integrated close-meshed grid 3 with upwardly projecting teeth 30. The floor and the bed walls, which are not identified in detail with reference numerals in Fig. 4, are then lined with a metal grid 3' and a geotextile fleece 6 arranged above it.

The two materials pulled up on the bed walls in the form of the metal grid 3" and the geotextile fleece 6 are attached to the border 50. The excavated soil is then filled back into the bed. The design and preparation of a planting bed 5 described above ensures that neither snails nor voles can penetrate it from below.

Fig. 6 shows one possibility of how, for example, an existing plant container or a plant bed can be retrofitted. For this purpose, a profile frame 7 is used, which is shown in a perspective detailed view in Fig. 6 and is approximately C-shaped or <=-shaped in cross section. A large number of prongs 30 of a close-meshed grid 3, aligned approximately vertically upwards and arranged very close to one another, protrude from a leg region 71 located at the bottom in Fig. 6. Likewise, a large number of prongs 30 of a close-meshed grid, aligned approximately horizontally towards its open part (to the left in Fig. 6) and arranged very close to one another, can also protrude from the curved intermediate region of the profile frame 7, which is not shown in detail in Fig. 6.

The upper leg 72 shown in the embodiment of Fig.6 is arranged at a sufficient distance above the teeth 30 of the close-meshed grid 3 and is designed so that it protrudes to the right over the teeth 30 in Fig.6, so that a cover corresponding to the cover 51 in Fig.4 is created. Thus, this subsequent

Patent Attorney von Kirschbaum .*·.·**! .! .·*. Case file: HH-2000

A profile frame that can be attached to a container or flower bed edging 7 provides sufficient protection against injuries.

Claims (12)

Patent Attorney von Kirschbaum .'\***l .! .*'. Attorney sa^e: HH-2000 ll" Claims 1. Planting area in the form of a plant container, characterized in that on the underside of the plant container (10) there is provided a support (2) which is set back at least in relation to a part of the outer circumference and creates a certain distance from the ground, and that a "fence" consisting of a plurality of needle-shaped prongs (30) arranged very closely next to one another and directed towards the ground protrudes from the underside of the container (10) from a self-contained edge region (11) created in this way. 2. Planting area in the form of a plant container according to claim 1, characterized in that the support is preferably a closed frame (2) running approximately parallel to the outer circumference (12) of the container (10), which is dimensioned such that a peripheral edge region (11) remains free on the underside of the container (10). 3. Planting area in the form of a plant container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the edge region (11) formed on the underside of the container (10) a close-meshed grid (3) is attached in such a way that fine needle-shaped prongs (30) project downwards from the lowest strip of a part of the grid (3) bent approximately at a right angle and thus approximately perpendicular to the underside of the container (10). Patent attorney from Kirschbaum ^: HH-2000 12' 4. Planting area according to claim 3, characterized in that the close-meshed grid (3) is a metal grid in the form of a fly screen. 5. Planting area in the form of a plant container according to one of claims 1, 2 or 4, characterized in that between the plant container (10) and the support (2) there is provided an intermediate part (4) which partially projects into the edge region (11), on the outer edge of which a close-meshed grid is attached in such a way that at least the downwardly directed, fine, needle-shaped prongs (30) project beyond the intermediate part (4). 6. Planting area in the form of a plant container according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one foot (20) is provided as a support on the underside of the container (10), and that a close-meshed metal grid (3') in the form of a truncated cone (31) widening downwards is attached to the at least one foot (20) in such a way that a plurality of fine needle-shaped prongs (30) project obliquely downwards. 7. Planting area according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that water drainage openings in the bottom of a planting container (10) are sealed in the interior of the container with water-permeable geotextile fleece. 8. Planting area in the form of a planting bed, characterized in that a border (50) is provided around the entire planting bed (5), from which a "fence" protrudes, consisting of a plurality of fine, needle-shaped prongs (30) aligned approximately vertically upwards and arranged very closely next to one another. Patent attorney von Kirschbaum .··. ···· ,J .··. AnjlW^tMftJie: HH-20Q0 9. Planting area in the form of a planting bed according to claim 8, characterized in that a cover strip (51) is provided at an appropriate distance from the fine, needle-shaped prongs (30) to protect against injuries. 10. Planting area in the form of a planting bed according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the floor and walls of a planting bed (5) are lined with geotextile fleece (6) and a metal grid (3") arranged underneath, and both the geotextile fleece (6) and the metal grid (3") are attached to the border (50) surrounding the bed. 11. Planting area according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for retrofitting existing plant containers or beds, a profile frame (7) with an approximately C- or C-shaped cross-section can be subsequently attached to them, from the lower leg region (71) of which a plurality of approximately vertically upwardly oriented, very closely spaced needle-shaped prongs (30) of a close-meshed grid (3) protrude. 12. Planting area according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for retrofitting existing plant containers or beds, a profile frame (7) with an approximately C- or <Z-shaped cross-section can be subsequently attached to these, from the curved intermediate region of which a plurality of needle-shaped prongs (30) of a close-meshed grid (3) protrude, aligned approximately horizontally to the open part of the profile frame (7) and arranged very closely next to one another.