HK1112373A - Vase for cultivating orchids - Google Patents

Description

Technical field

The present invention is a vase for the cultivation of orchids, comprising a glass body with a central axis, which includes a vase foot and a vase outer wall, which leads into a vase opening, suitable for the reception of a nutrient solution and a porous culture medium on which an orchid adheres.

State of the art

In recent decades, the cultivation of orchids has become increasingly popular, the supply and availability of cultivated hybrids has increased, and so more and more amateurs have tried to cultivate orchids in the home rooms, showcases and greenhouses.

Orchids are usually perennial, so they could theoretically flourish indefinitely, depending on the type of plant, but only under optimal conditions of humidity, light and nutrient supply.

There is a great need among orchid lovers to imitate the natural habitat to ensure optimal care and thus long life of the orchids.

Orchids grow in different ways. Epiphytic, or the growth of orchids on other plants, where orchids are not parasites. Also terrestrial, so on the ground and lithophytic, some species of orchids grow on rocks or stones. What they have in common is that they form aerial roots, through which fluid and nutrients are absorbed and which are not buried in soil or humus.

The most commonly available in stores are epiphytic orchids. These are usually available in simple plastic pots, with a culture medium, the medium on which the orchids adhere with their roots. To simulate the natural habitat of the orchids, these are usually placed on pieces of wood, small branches or pieces of bark, thus imitating living trees. Recently, culture media made of porous clay, foamed polystyrene or coconut fibers are also available.

To mimic the natural habitat of orchids as closely as possible, a humid-warm climate must be provided near the plant. While the higher temperatures are not a big problem, the orchid, depending on the absorption capacity of the culture medium used, needs to be supplied with water frequently and from time to time with nutrients.

It has been shown that relative humidity must be between 40% and 80% for orchids to feel comfortable, which is not easy to do in the winter months in the partially overheated living rooms in Europe, as they dry out and in double glazed houses the relative humidity can often drop to 20%.

Because of the low relative humidity in the room air, the orchids evaporate a lot of water through their leaves, which requires constant watering, without the air roots being in the water. In the storage containers and vases used so far, the orchid adheres to the culture medium with its roots in such a way that the roots are mostly exposed and the root surface can absorb moisture from the environment without hindrance.

In addition, the previously used culture media, such as pieces of wood and bark, as well as clay and man-made materials, tend to rot, rot and become infected with fungi when in a humid environment.

Description of the invention

The present invention is intended to create a vase in which orchids, adapted to their natural habitat, can thrive with minimal effort in watering and other care.

A device with the characteristics of the claim 1 fulfils these tasks. Other advantageous forms of design can be found in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention is described below in the context of the drawings. Figure 1 shows a view of the vase of the invention with an orchid.Figure 2 shows a cut through the vase of the invention including culture medium and nutrient solution and an orchid placed in the vase.Figure 3 shows a cut through the glass body in detail.

The present invention is a vase for the cultivation of orchids, particularly epiphytically growing orchids 2, consisting of a glass body 1 formed from a vase foot 10 starting from a vase outer wall 12. The outer wall of the vase 12 forms a vase forest 13 opposite the vase foot 10 This vase forest 13 is formed by a horizontal or parabolically running wool split 14 which ends in a wool strand 15 At the end of the wool strand 15 pointing to the vase foot 10 a vase opening 11 is placed.

The glass body 1 formed in this way forms a transparent and watertight container in which an orchid 2 consisting of one or more roots 20, pseudobulbs 21, leaves 22, spruces 23 and flowers 24 is placed in contact with a fluid-absorbing and porous culture medium 3 on which the orchid 2 is held, and the orchid 2 is placed in the glass body 1 through the vase opening 11 and rests on the vase foot 10 with the culture medium 3 and the adjacent roots 20 in front.

The diameter of the vase opening 11 must be chosen so that the roots 20 and the pseudobulbs 21 adhering to the culture medium 3 can be passed through the vase opening 11 so that only the leaves 22, the ripe 23 and the flowers 24 can protrude from the glass body 1 through the bulb head 14. The roots 20 and the pseudobulbs 21 present depending on the orchid species, which are used to store water and nutrients, are then located inside the glass body 1. The mostly conical roots 20 and the pseudobulbs 21 close the interior of the glass body 1 so that only a small amount of air and moisture can be produced through the opening 11 . 22 The orchids of the second flower are also exposed to the glass body, which is sealed in the form of a glass body 1 and the orchids of the second flower are closed in the form of a glass body 1 and the orchids of the second flower are closed in the form of a glass body 2 .

If one considers a centre axis 16 of glass body 1, experiments have shown that the wool strand 15 and the centre axis 16 should include an angle α greater than zero and less than 90°.

In their natural habitat, orchids are often found on trees to absorb as much light as possible, including through their roots. In addition to absorbing water and nutrients, the roots also have the task of photosynthesis. To support this process and prevent the roots from growing out of the vase, the vase is formed as a glass body.

The glass body 1 is filled with a nutrient solution 4 so that the culture medium 3 is moistened, which absorbs liquid due to its absorption properties. The roots 20 of the orchid 2 take up nutrient solution 4. When filling, care is taken that the liquid level does not rise so that the roots 20 stick into the liquid. The nutrient solution can be water. This water can be untreated or desiccated tap water. Since orchids 2 receive only a small amount of nutrients in their natural habitat, it is very economical for the orchid lover to be able to eat outside.

The charcoal 3 is a porous piece of wood with a low density, and can be portioned without tools and individually adapted to each orchid. Because of its microscopic channels, charcoal has a high absorption capacity, as the pores can absorb a large amount of fluid. This allows for an adequate moisture supply without high melting point. Charcoal is absorbed up to the clearing and discoloration of fluids, to the disinfection and preservation of unsuitable substances.

The climate, which is modelled on the natural habitat of an orchid 2, is produced in glass body 1 as follows. The heat from the heat in the area of the vase foot 10 evaporates water 4 from the volume of the nutrient solution 4 and from the pores of the wood charcoal 3 and an air-gas-vapor mixture rises upwards towards the opening 11. The form described above of the V13 in combination with the arrangement of the 20 or 22 orchid blobs and the 22 orchid blobs can only release a small amount of water from the opening 11.

The temperature gradients cause low temperatures near the vase opening 11, not least because of the evaporative cold on the surface of the roots 20. The lower temperatures cause water vapour to condense near the vase opening 11 to the glass body 1 and the roots 20 and the pseudo-bulbs 21, thus keeping the orchid 2 moist but not wet.

In the volume not reached by roots 20 within the glass body 1 an air-water vapour flow is formed, warm and moist air rises upwards where it cannot escape and the water vapour condenses, the air cools and sinks towards the vase base 10.

The moisture released by the roots 10 cannot escape from the glass body 1 and is fed back to the roots 20. This cycle is indicated by arrows in Figure 3 and results in the nutrient solution 4 evaporating less quickly and therefore having to be replenished at longer intervals, i.e. only after the evaporation of the moisture from the leaves 22, the ridge 23 and the flowers 24 has taken place.

Since the use of charcoal 3 as a culture medium prevents root rot and acts as a disinfectant 20, it is possible to delay, if not avoid, the re-potting of the orchid 2.

List of reference marks

1 Glass body 10 Vase foot 11 Vase opening 12 Vase outer wall 13 Vase wood 14 Wulstcheels 15 Wulstrand 16 Central axis2Orchid 20 Root Other vegetables, fresh or chilled Other 23 Rispe 24 Flower3Culture medium = charcoal4Nutritional solution = water

Claims (8)

1. Vase for the cultivation of orchids, comprising a glass body (1) with a central axis (16) containing a vase foot (10) and a vase outer wall (12) opening into a vase opening (11) suitable for the reception of a nutrient solution (4) and a porous culture medium (3) to which an orchid (2) adheres, characterised by the fact that the vase wall (12) contains a vase wool (13) above the mouth into the vase opening (11), containing a wool bowl (14) and a wool strand (15) running at a given angle to the central axis (16) of the glass body (1).
2. Vase according to claim 1, characterised by the angle α between the edge of the wool (15) and a centre axis (16) of the glass body (1) being greater than zero and less than 90°.
3. Vase according to claim 1, characterised by the horizontal movement of the wool end (14).
4. Vase according to claim 1, characterised by the parabolic shape of the wool end (14).
5. Vase according to claim 1, characterised by the glass body (1) being covered with a culture medium (3).
6. Vase according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that the culture medium (3) is charcoal.
7. Use of the vase according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the vase opening (11) is passable for pseudobulbs (21) and roots (20) of an orchid (2).
8. Use of the vase according to claim 7, characterised by the fact that the roots (20) and leaves (22) of the orchid (2) are above the wool stem (14) and thus largely prevent air exchange of the air in the glass body (1) with the surroundings.