GB2471721A

GB2471721A - A growing mat having seed containing pockets

Info

Publication number: GB2471721A
Application number: GB0912032A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher James Chapman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-10
Filing date: 2009-07-10
Publication date: 2011-01-12
Also published as: GB0912032D0

Abstract

A growing mat comprises body of biodegradable porous material having a plurality of apertures3A. A plurality of seed containing pockets1Care positioned over the apertures3Aof the mat. The biodegradable material of the body may be treated with fertilizers, pesticides and/or fungicides. The seed pockets1Cmay also be biodegradable and porous. The positioning of the apertures2Acan be varied to allow accurate seed spacing for a variety of seeds, The pockets1Callow the seeds to be maintained in a dry, sterile environment during the production, storage and transit of the mats. The pockets1Calso prevent the seed coming into contact with the fertilizer, pesticide or fungicide contained within the mat. The mat may have perforations so that strips containing seed pockets1Ccan be removed from the mat.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Porous growing mat with nutritional properties

BACKROUND

Technical field

The design aims to bring home horticulture and plant growth to the consumer realm, making the task of setting up and maintaining a home grow plot easier, cheaper and more enjoyable.

Related designs and differences Seed mats and mulches do exist, and I assume are also patented, many of which use fibrous materials such as paper or card, yet in many cases this material has been mulched, pressed and dried to form a solid sheet material with seeds simply embedded at random throughout.

The design differs as it consists of a double ply porous material roll with a number of precisely distanced seed pockets spaced throughout. This utilisation of such materials as a fertilizer, pesticide and or fungicide does not appear to be presently available, nor does the method or containing seeds for easy planting and distancing which I will later discuss.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention aims to make home horticulture and plant growth cheaper, easier and more enjoyable, The mat is intended for planting in open or boxed soil environments such as

open fields, gardens or allotments.

The following explanation and descriptive diagrams explain the basic structure of the design, the structure of the seed pockets, the adhering of the seed pockets pockets to the main body of the mat and finally the process of nutritional transfer from the mat to the surrounding soil and thus the roots of the developing plant.

Figure 1 shows the structure of the mat, partly rolled and hung to exemplify its potential storage and display methods.

The main body of the mat is a flexible structure consisting of a single sheet of double ply porous material(1A), with an optional number of perforations spanning its lengths (for easy tearing) (1 B) with one or more of the layers of the material being treated with soluble fertilizer, pesticides and or fungicides, this can also be done through an inlaid/adhered material which is sandwiched between or on the surface of the two conventional layers of material. The mat also has a series of seed pockets (10) positioned accordingly along its length.

For the purpose of the diagram I have displayed only three rows of seed pockets with perforations dividing each row, this is simply for diagrammatic purposes as the mat can

I

consist of a single row and or many rows with the seed pockets spaced at varying distances throughout.

Figure 2 shows the structure of the seed pockets detached from the main body of the mat.

A number of sealed, porous material seed pockets (1C), containing a number of seeds (2C) are accurately spaced throughout the mat (1A) at determined distances depending on the types (for example) of vegetable, fruit, flower,grass or herb seed contained within. The intention of these pockets is to house the seeds in a dry, sterile environment during the mats production, storage, transit, display and planting.

These pockets also prevent the seeds from coming into contact with the fertilizer, pesticide and or fungicide contained within the mats main body at an early stage in the plants development, preventing the risk of fertilizer or pesticide burn to the developing stem or root system. This is also a common factor of many of the current patented and commercially available designs. This element of the design also fundamentally contributes the mats germination and overall plant growth and or crop yield success rate.

The pockets consist of a porous material (2B) which when wet break down easily within a matter of days allowing the seed stem and root shoots to penetrate the material with little force during its initial development and thus cause the plant little or no harm during its later development and growth. This again is something which I assume differs my design from any on the market and or currently patented inventions, as in existing designs the plants root or stem system is forced to penetrate far more robust materials which can decrease the chances of earlier plant development and thus crop yield and or overall plant growth.

These pockets are also labelled (2A) to allow for easy recognition.

Figure 3 shows the mounting of the seed pockets to the mat.

The seed pockets adhere to the mat over pre cut mounting holes, allowing the root systems to easily develop downwards and the stem to grow upwards once the mat has been planted.

The mats nutritional, pesticidal and fungicidal properties can be achieved in a varied number of ways, for example: through spraying, where by raw single sheet porous material is sprayed by liquidated fertilizer and allowed to dry then used in the production of the double ply sheet material and or the inlaid/adhered material. Or by simply adding the fertilizer to the material mulch during production of the sheet material for later use in the production of the porous material and or the inlaid/adhered material.

Figure 4 shows the pocket degradation and nutrient to soil transfer.

The fertilizer, pesticides or fungicides may consist of an organic or chemical based nutrient which can be applied when in liquid form, dried and still maintain its nutritional properties.

After the plant has been germinated and has had time to develop, and as rain or artificially applied water (5C) soaks down through the soil, the mat (5B/1A) begins to break down releasing the nutrients and pesticides (5A) contained within into the soil surrounding the plants root system feeding and protecting it from harmful infection it as it continues to develop further.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A new and novel seed plantation devise that acts as a transport mechanism for the seeds, fertilizer, pesticide and fungicide.
2. The main body of the mat contains a number of porous material seed pockets, containing a number of seeds, which are designed to break down within a matter of days in a moisture rich environment, increasing the chances of seed germination.
3. The seed pockets are designed to allow the seed to come into contact with the surrounding soil far quicker than conventional seed mats.
4. The specially sized seed pockets prevent the seeds from coming into contact with the fertilizer, pesticides or fungicides contained within the mat at too early a stage in the plants development.
5. The main body of the mat acts as a positioning mechanism for the seeds, spacing them accurately, allowing for maximum crop yield and or plant growth.
6. The mat can be cut to any desired length to fit any size growing environment.
7. The mat is designed to completely break down within a matter of months, and thus slowly release the fertilizer, pesticides and fungicides contained within.
8. The mats intention is to increase the success rate of crop yield and overall plant growth.
9. The mat acts as a display mechanism for retail environments.