WO1999001023A1

WO1999001023A1 - Plant container

Info

Publication number: WO1999001023A1
Application number: PCT/GB1998/001917
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tina Maria Geary
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-06-30
Filing date: 1998-06-30
Publication date: 1999-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1999-12-30
Also published as: GB2341530B; GB9930821D0; GB2341530A

Abstract

A plant container (1) comprises an inwardly-sloping wall from the bottom (2) to the top (3) whereby the area of the base (2) is larger than the area of the mouth (3). Preferably the container is in the shape of a four-sided pyramid.

Description

PLANT CONTAINER

This invention relates to a container for plants, especially house plants.

Flower pots are commonly used for the cultivation of domestic house pants. They are usually constructed in a single mould design, in a variety of sizes, mainly from a plastics material, and are usually shaped as a cylinder which is wider at the top than the bottom. The flower pot is filled with a suitable growing medium and has a larger surface area at the top than at the bottom. The plant can only be inserted and removed from the top. The bottom of the flower pot contains perforations which allow water to soak in or out of the medium. Water can be applied either through the top or in a container placed under the flower pot.

One disadvantage of conventional flower pots is that they expose a large surface area of medium through which evaporation of moisture can take place, predisposing the house plant to dehydration if watering is infrequent. In addition the large surf ce area of medium can encourage domestic cats to urinate in them. The shape of the flower pot also tends to inhibit or constrain the natural formation of the root structure of the plant. The fully moulded design of flower pots prevents the examination of plant roots unless the plant is removed from the pot. When flower pots are filled with medium they have a centre of gravity which is nearer to the top, which predisposes them to instability and renders them liable to be easily knocked over or, if outdoors, to being blown over in a high wind.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plant container having an inwardly- sloping wall from the bottom to the top whereby the area of the base is larger than the area of the mouth.

The mouth of the container is the opening at the top or upper end through which the container is filled with growing medium and through which the plant stem extends. It will be appreciated that, with the container filled with medium almost to the mouth, the exposed surface of the medium is considerably smaller than with conventional flower pots, thus reducing moisture loss; furthermore, the inwardly-sloping wall makes it difficult for cats to urinate on the growing medium. The larger base area also enables the plant roots to spread more naturally than in a conventional flower pot and to take up water more efficiently, resulting in a healthier and more succulent plant, and provides enhanced stability especially where the plant is large. If the pot is accidentally knocked over, the reduced-size mouth will tend to reduce spillage of growing medium to a minimum.

Plant containers according to the invention are preferably symmetrical in plan view with the or all walls having the same angle of slope. Preferably, the or one wall is provided with an openable panel which may be either hingeable or slidably attached to the wall or entirely removable and replaceable; such a panel assists in setting or removal of the plant and also allows for the growing medium to be inspected to establish whether the roots of the plant are becoming pot-bound. Conveniently, where the container is facetted, one entire face may be openable for optimum ease of removal of the plant together with substantially all the growing medium, so- that it my be re-potted with the minimum of root disturbance. The containers preferably have perforated bases which are maintained spaced apart from the supporting surface by feet, for example having the form of peripheral depending lugs, to assist in drainage and to resist access to growing medium by crawling insects and the like.

Plant containers according to the invention may be formed from any suitable material and to a variety of sizes. Suitable materials include plastics, brass, copper and stainless steel. Where a plastics material is used, for example perspex, the material should be substantially opaque or carry a substantially opaque surface coating to prevent penetration of light.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: -

Figure 1 shows in perspective a pyramid plant pot with the addition of a house plant and an accompanying shallow, square, water receptacle;

Figure 2 illustrates the pyramid plant pot of Figure 1 with side open, and indicating perforations in the base.

Referring to the drawings, the pyramid plant pot comprises a four sided pyramid 1 with base 2 and opening at the top 3 , through which the house plant grows 4 as shown in Fig. 1. The pyramid pant pot stands in a shallow, square, water receptacle 5, as shown in Fig. 1. One side or face 6 is hinged at one edge to a neighbouring side or face and is provided with a suitable catch or retainer means (not shown) by virtue of which it can be secured in the closed position to the other neighbouring side, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to insert the house plant, the pyramid plant pot is laid on one side and the side door 6 opened as shown in Fig. 2. The pyramid pot is filled with a substrate or medium suitable for house plants and a house plant of suitable size inserted near the top. The side door 5 is closed and the pyramid plant pot is returned to an upright position as shown in Fig. 1. The pyramid plant pot is then placed in the water receptacle 5 in the direction illustrated in Fig. 1.

In order to remove the house plant, for example when it has outgrown its container, the steps described above are carried out in reverse sequence.

The plant is watered by adding water to the water receptacle 5.

The growth of the root structure of the plant may be examined by removing the pyramid plant pot from the water receptacle 5 and opening the side door 6.

The plant pot is especially suitable for single- stemmed house plants .

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A plant container comprising an inwardly-sloping wall from the bottom to the top whereby the area of the base is larger than the area of the mouth.

2. A plant container according to claim 1 which is symmetrical in plan view.

3. A plant container according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the or all walls have the same angle of slope. . A plant container according to any preceding claim in which the or one wall comprises an openable panel .

5. A plant container according to claim 4 , in which the panel is attached to the wall.

6. A plant container according to claim 4, in which the panel is removable from the wall.

7. A plant container according to any preceding claim, in which the container is facetted and one face is openable.

8. A plant container according to any preceding claim, in which the base is perforated.

9. A plant container according to any preceding claim including feet to maintain the base in use spaced apart from the supporting surface.

10. A plant container in the form of a pyramid comprising four sides, a perforated base, an opening at the apex and an opening in one of the sides.