GB2307162A

GB2307162A - Planter and watering assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2307162A
Application number: GB9623910A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Edward Field
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-11-17
Filing date: 1996-11-18
Publication date: 1997-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 2016-11-18
Also published as: GB2307162B; GB9623910D0

Abstract

An assembly (1) for use as or in a planter (e.g. a hanging basket, manger, trough or window box) comprises a suitably shaped bag (2) and a watering element (10) which extends through a hole (3) in the bag (2). Watering element (10) has a closed end (11), holes (12) about its periphery, and a spacing rim (13), and rests on top of the growing medium (4) in the bag (2). The top of the bag (2) is spaced form the growing medium (4) by the rim (13), and water poured into the watering element (10) is sprayed into this space through the holes (12) to water plants mounted in the bag (2) through cross-cuts (8). Holes (9) provide drainage. The bag (2) retains moisture and prevents evaporation, whilst the watering element (10) ensures that the growing medium (4) is uniformly watered. The watering element 10 is also suitable for use in watering growing medium covered by sheeting material.

Description

Plant Holder The present invention relates to an assembly for use as or in a planter. The term "planter" should be taken to include any container in which plants are grown, including for example hanging baskets, wall baskets, mangers, troughs, window boxes and containers for placing on the ground.

Hanging baskets are a widely used gardening accessory, and may take many forms. Commonly, they are manufactured in semi-spherical form from round or flat sectioned wire. They are typically hung for display by three chains or wires mounted at equidistant points about the periphery of the basket and brought together at a common junction ring from which the basket is suspended.

In use, the basket is lined with natural moss or specially designed liners made from coco fibres, felt or recycled wool. Compost or other growing medium is then added, and the basket completed by placing various plants in the top of the basket as required. Water and plant food can be applied to the top surface of the basket using a watering can or hose.

Mangers and troughs are similar to hanging baskets, but are mounted to a wall rather than suspended. A manger normally takes the form of a quarter of a sphere, whilst a trough is more elongate.

A problem with the above products is that they tend to require watering about once every day, and more often in hot weather. Thus, the baskets are often not watered enough. Further, when they are watered, considerable amounts of water are used, and plant food and compost can be washed away. Accordingly, plants can suffer from leaf scorch and exposed roots.

The present invention aims to overcome the above problems, and to provide improved hanging baskets, wall baskets and other planter assemblies.

Viewed from one aspect, the present invention provides an assembly for use as or in a planter, the assembly comprising a bag for containing a growing medium, and a watering element configured to extend in use generally vertically through a hole in the top of the bag and to space the inside of the top of the bag from the top of the growing medium, the watering element having a plurality of openings about its periphery through which water poured into the watering element flows into the space between the top of the bag and the growing medium.

The bag may be of any suitable shape, such as the shape of any standard planter, for example a hanging basket, manger or trough, and may be mounted in such a planter in place of the above-mentioned (relatively expensive) liner materials or may stand alone as a planter itself. The bag may have slits, cross-cuts and/or holes in its top and, if desired, in its sides, to allow plants to be planted into it. It may also have drain holes or slits towards its base to allow excess water to run off. Alternatively, it may be left to a purchaser to make appropriate cuts, etc., where desired.

Perforations and/or lines of weakness may be incorporated into the bag to facilitate the making of the slits, etc., by a purchaser.

The combination of a bag substantially enclosed except for a watering hole, together with a watering element in the hole, provides a very advantageous planting system. The bag is able to reduce evaporation losses and retain adequate amounts of moisture, such that, once watered, the planter does not need to be watered again for a number of days. The watering element ensures that the water is applied evenly over the surface of the growing medium, and not just in a region adjacent the hole in the bag.

Thus, the present invention provides a planter or planter liner which is relatively inexpensive, and reduces the need for watering. It also helps to prevent plant food and compost from being washed away.

The watering element may take any suitable form.

It may, for example, comprise a tube (of any crosssection, but preferably circular) which extends in use through the hole in the bag, and which has openings in its periphery through which water may pass so as to spray into the space between the bag top and the growing medium. To facilitate spraying of the water, deflecting means may be provided in the tube to prevent the water from passing straight through the tube and draining directly into the growing medium at the bottom of the tube.

In one preferred form, the watering element comprises a tube having a substantially closed end which rests, in use, on the growing medium in the bag, the tube having openings provided about its periphery towards the closed end so that water poured into the tube is blocked by the closed end and sprays out of the openings into the space between the inside of the top of the bag and the growing medium. The end of the tube need not be completely closed, and may for example have holes therein to water the growing medium below the tube.

The space between the inside of the top of the bag and the top of the growing medium may be provided merely by a suitably tight fit of the watering element in the hole of the bag. In one preferred embodiment, however, the watering element has protrusions and/or one or more flange portions extending from and about its outer periphery, which hold up the bag at the hole. These protrusions/flange portions may also help to prevent the bag material from sagging and blocking the spray holes of the watering element 10.

Other shapes and designs of watering element besides tubular are of course possible, and it could for example have legs or other features which protrude into the growing medium to keep it stable. It could also for example comprise a deflector in the shape of a cone to aid in the spraying of the water into the space.

The bag and watering element may be made from any suitable materials. Preferably the bag is of a plastics material, and may be vacuumed formed. It may be of one piece manufacture or for example may comprise a main portion for the growing medium over which a top cover portion with a watering hole therein is welded.

As said, the bag may be formed with holes in at purchase. These may be reinforced, and may be of a size such that cane or other supports for the plants may be inserted into the holes along with the plants. The holes may be formed directly in the bag, and may be moulded to have edge regions thicker that the rest of the bag. Any other suitable form of reinforcement is also possible, and each hole may have a ring of a further material e.g. welded about its periphery, or may be provided with a grommet.

The bag need not have holes in it at the point of sale, and may be manufactured so that, for example, a purchaser can easily cut a hole in the top of the bag for the watering element. This might be achieved for example using the bottom edge of the watering element itself, which could be suitably sharp or serrated to facilitate the cutting. In one embodiment, the bag may include a tear out portion for the hole. Bags without holes can be advantageous in that the growing medium such as compost may conveniently be stored in the bags, rather than having to be sold separately. Complete planter kits may then be sold, with the bags filled with the correct amount and type of growing medium.

When the assembly is used as a planter itself, rather than as a liner, the bag may include means to help it hold its shape and/or to allow it to be suitably mounted such as by suspension or by attachment to a wall. The bag may itself have eyelets formed therein from which suspension wires or chains may be hung. It may also or alternatively include forming elements therein, such as a wire frame, with formed hanging portions thereon for suspension chains or screws. Thus, in a hanging basket assembly, the bag may include a wire ring about the periphery of its top, the ring having hanging portions which in use extend through slits in the bag to act as anchor points for hanging chains or wires.In a manger assembly, the bag may include two orthogonal semi-circular wires connected together at their ends, which run respectively about the periphery of the bag top and the periphery of the wall-mounted side of the bag. A further straight wire may extend between the connection points of the two semi-circular wires, and formed portions for mounting the bag by for example screws may be provided on the straight wire section and preferably also the semi-circular wire on the bag's wall side. The straight wire section may be a portion of either of the semi-circular wires, and the two semi-circular wires may be hingedly connected at their ends.

The watering element may be preformed and may for example be moulded or vacuum formed. It may be formed as one part or from a number of parts. In one preferred form, it comprises a three part construction of 1) a cupped base having a number of elongate slots therein which may extend to the rim of the base, 2) a tubular body which fits into the base and cooperates with the slots to-provide the spray openings, and 3) a cover which may snap fit onto the tubular body and may be in the form of a grille or grid for preventing debris, such as leaves, from falling into the body of the element.

Parts one and two may alternatively be replaced by a single tubular element having a closed end and openings in its side. The base may have a hole or holes therein to allow excess water to drain away.

The watering element could also be made from a blank of for example water-proofed cardboard, plastics material or any other suitable water-proof material.

This would then allow a bag and watering element to be flat-packed together for ease of storage, transport and display.

Viewed from a second aspect, the present invention extends to a watering element in any of the forms mentioned above without the bag. One or more such elements may be used with for example standard wellknown grow bags.

Grow bags generally take the form of sacks that are laid on their side in the garden, and have large square holes cut into their upper side for placing plants in.

By the second aspect of the present invention, one or more watering holes, each sized for receiving a watering element, may be cut into the grow bag, along with slits for receiving the plants. This then does away with the need for the usual large holes with their resultant water loss, and, as with the above described inventive planter assemblies, this aspect of the invention enables moisture retention whilst ensuring that the grow bag is uniformly watered.

The watering elements may also be used in any suitable situation in which watering below sheeting is required, such as with plastics sheeting used for mulch, and, viewed from a further aspect, the invention extends to the a watering element, as discussed above, in combination with sheeting which in use covers a material to be watered.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a cut-away perspective view of a hanging basket in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the hanging basket of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a wire ring used in the Fig. 1 embodiment to support the basket; Fig. 4 is a cut-away perspective view of a wallmounted manger in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the manger of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the top of a known standard grow bag using a watering element in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the grow bag and watering elements of Fig. 6;; Fig. 8 shows a blank from which a watering element may be constructed; Fig. 9 shows an alternative watering element blank; Fig. 10 shows a watering element constructed from the blank of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a side view of the blank of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a side view of a watering element in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the watering element of Fig. 12.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a hanging basket assembly 1 comprises a semi-spherical bag 2 in the top of which is formed a hole 3. The bag 2 contains a growing medium 4, such as compost, and includes a wire ring 5 (see Fig. 3) from which it is hung by chains 6.

The chains 6 extend from formed hanging portions or eyelets 7 on the wire ring 5 which protrude through slits in the top of the bag 2. Plants are mounted in the basket assembly 1 through cross-cuts 8 in the top and sides of the bag 2, and drainage holes 9 are provided in the bottom of the bag 2 to allow for drainage of excess water.

Extending through the hole 3 and resting on the growing medium 4 is a watering and spacing element 10, which, in this embodiment, is in the form of a cylindrical tube having a closed end 11, holes 12 towards the closed end 11, and a raised annular portion or rib element 13 above the holes 12 about the tube's outer periphery. The hole 3 and watering element 10 are sized so that the bag material around the periphery of the hole 3 lies on the rib 13 to ensure that a gap 14 is maintained between the inside of the top of the bag 2 and the surface of the growing medium 4 and to prevent the bag material from sagging and blocking the spray holes 12.

Such an assembly provides a particularly advantageous hanging basket, in that the bag 2 retains moisture and prevents evaporation, whilst the watering element 10 ensures that the growing medium 4 is uniformly watered, with the holes 12 spraying jets of water into the gap 14 as shown by the arrows of Fig. 2, and with the closed end 11 ensuring that the majority of the water does not merely soak into the central portion of the basket and leave the main volume of the medium about the centre dry.

Thus, such an assembly requires less watering than prior hanging baskets, and helps to prevent leaf scorching and the washing away of plant food and growing medium.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This is similar to the first embodiment, except that the bag 2 is in the form of a manger, and like features are referenced by the same numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2. In this example, the wire ring 5 is replaced by two orthogonal semi-circular wires 13 and 14 and by a straight wire 15, which are connected together at their ends. One of the semi-circular wires 13 runs about the periphery of the top of the bag 2 to help define its shape, and the other 14 runs about the periphery of the rear side of the bag 2 which will in use be mounted to the wall. This second wire 14 and the straight wire 15 have formed hanging portions or eyelets 16 therein for mounting the assembly to a wall with for example screws. The wire 15 may be an integral part of either of the semi-circular wires 13, 14, with both these wires 13, 14 hingedly connected to one another at their ends.

The watering element 10 need not be used with a specially designed bag, and may be used with for example known grow bags, as well as in situations in which watering is required below sheeting, such as sheeting used for mulch. In a third embodiment, therefore, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, holes 17 have been cut out of a standard grow bag 18 to allow a number of watering elements 10 to be inserted therein, and cross-cuts 19 have been cut for the plants. This gives the same advantages as for the embodiments of Figs. 1-5.

In the above embodiments, the watering element 10 is shown as a moulded element. It is however possible for the element to be made in any suitable manner, and, in one preferred embodiment it is made from a blank, so that for example the bag and watering element may be sold together as a flat pack. Fig. 8 shows one possible example of such a blank 20, which may be made from any suitable material. The blank 20 includes the spray holes 12 and the closed end 11.

When constructed, end tabs 21 engage end holes 22 to form a cylindrical body, and base tabs 23 spaced about the periphery of the closed end 11 (only one shown), engage with base holes 24 in the cylindrical body portion of the blank 20.

The holes 12 are made by cutting about their periphery except along a fold line 25, and then by folding the cut portions of the material outwardly.

This then produces a ring of outwardly extending tabs above the holes 12 which act as the rim 13 shown in the previous embodiments to prevent the bag material from sagging and blocking the holes and to retain a space between the bag material and the growing medium.

Figs. 9-11 show a further embodiment of a watering element blank. This is similar to the blank of Fig. 8, but the spray holes 12 are circular, and the rim 13 is made from a raised portion 26 of the blank. The ends of this raised portion 26 are suitably sized (e.g. slightly larger and smaller than the rest of the raised portion) so that when brought together as in Fig. 10 one end may lie below the other.

Figs. 12 and 13 show a further design of watering element, which is made from three separate moulded parts: 1) a cupped base 27 which has a lipped rim 28 that acts as the rim 13 and a number of elongate slots 29 extending down from the rim 28, 2) an open-ended tubular body part 30, which sits in the base 27, and partially blocks the slots 29, so as to define D-shaped spray holes 12, and 3) a grilled lid 31 which snap fits over the tubular body 30 to prevent debris from entering the element 10, whilst allowing the passage of water through holes 32 which extend across the whole of the lid 31.

This construction provides an element 10 which is easily moulded. The base 27 may have one or more small holes therein to allow excess water to drain off. The tubular element 30 may be tapered or have stepped portions of different radii, with its lower end being narrower than its upper end to allow the body 29 to extend into the base 27 only to a certain extent (i.e.

so that it does not cover the whole length of the slots 29). The lid 31 may rest on for example eight lid supports 33 of the tubular body 30.

The above are only example embodiments of the invention, and various modifications and alternatives are also possible. For example, instead of being used as a planter itself, the bag and watering element assembly may be used in a standard known hanging basket or other planter, with the bag replacing the normal (and relatively expensive) linings of moss, etc. In this case, there is no need for the use of wire supports.

Indeed such supports are not always necessary even when the assembly is used by itself, as the growing medium is able to give the bag shape. Further, the watering element need not take the shape shown, and could take any suitable form. For example, in the manger embodiment of Fig. 2, it could take on a semicylindrical shape. Also, the bag 2 could include a tear out portion at its centre for forming the hole 3, as this would then allow the growing medium to be stored in the bag, rather than be separate from it. The crosscuts 8 and drainage hole 9 could also not be provided, and, instead, the purchaser may be left to make their own cuts, as desired. The bag may include perforations and/or lines of weakness to facilitate the making of the cross-cuts, etc.

Claims

1. An assembly for use as or in a planter, the assembly comprising a bag for containing a growing medium, and a watering element configured to extend in use generally vertically through a hole in the top of the bag and to space the inside of the top of the bag from the top of the growing medium, the watering element having a plurality of openings about its periphery through which water poured into the watering element flows into the space between the top of the bag and the growing medium.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the bag has the shape of a hanging basket, manger or trough.

3. The assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag has openings therein to allow plants to be planted into it.

4. The assembly of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein perforations and/or lines of weakness are provided in the bag to facilitate the forming of the hole for the watering element and/or openings for the insertion of plants.

5. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the bag has drainage openings towards its base.

6. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the watering element comprises a tubular body portion extending into the bag in use through the hole.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the watering element is circular in cross-section.

8. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the watering element includes means therein for preventing water draining directly into the growing medium below the element.

9. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the watering element comprises a tube having a substantially closed end which rests, in use, on growing medium in the bag, the tube having openings about its periphery towards its closed end such that water poured into the tube is blocked by the closed end and flows out of the openings into the space between the inside of the top of the bag and the growing medium.

10. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the watering element has openings in its base.

11. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the watering element has bag spacer means about its outer periphery above the peripheral openings.

12. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the bag includes forming means to help it hold its shape.

13. The assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the bag is provided with a wire frame.

14. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the bag is in the shape of a hanging basket, and wherein the bag includes a wire ring about the periphery of its top.

15. The assembly of any of claims 1 to 13, wherein the bag is in the general shape of a quarter of a sphere, and wherein the bag includes two orthogonal semi-circular wires connected together at their ends, the wires running respectively about the periphery of the bag top and the periphery of a wall-mounted side of the bag.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein a straight wire extends between the connection points of the two semi-circular wires.

17. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the assembly includes hanging portions from which it may be mounted in use.

18. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the assembly includes eyelets from which suspension wires or chains may be hung.

19. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the watering element includes a cupped base having elongate slots therein which extend to the rim of the base, and a tubular body which fits into the base and cooperates with the slots to provide the peripheral openings of the element.

20. The assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the watering element includes a cover in the form of a grille or grid which fits onto the top of the watering element.

21. The assembly of any of claims 1 to 19, wherein the watering element is formed from a blank.

22. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the bag is provided with two or more watering elements

23. A watering element in any of the forms claimed above without the bag.

24. A watering element for use in watering a bag containing growing medium therein or for use in watering growing medium covered by sheeting material, the element comprising a tubular body portion which is configured in use to extend generally vertically into the bag or below the sheeting, and to space the top of the bag or the sheeting from the growing medium, the watering element having a plurality of openings about its periphery through which water poured into the watering element flows into the space between the top of the bag or sheeting and the growing medium.

25. A watering element according to claim 23 or 24, in combination with sheeting which in use covers a growing material to be watered, the watering element spacing the sheeting from the growing material and directing water poured into it into the space through the peripheral openings.

26. A planter kit comprising an assembly in accordance with claim 1, with the bag filled with growing medium, the bag being formed so that openings may be cut or torn therein for providing the hole for the watering element.

27. Watering elements substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

28. Planter assemblies substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

29. Liners for planters substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.