This invention relates to a plant raising device for use in supplying water and nutrients to growing plants. The invention is particularly effective when used with a growing bag, and the invention extends to a method of raising plants in a growing bag. The invention is not however limited to use with a growing bag.

Growing bags are widely used for growing a variety of crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers and are used by both professional nurserymen and amateur gardeners. Growing bags comprise a plastic (usually polyethylene) bag containing a compost-like growing medium. To use the bags, they are laid on a flat surface, holes are cut in one wall of the bag to expose the growing medium, and a plant is planted in the growing medium.

The term 'growing bag' as used in this specification includes any type of bag-like structure which contains a moisture retaining medium in which plants can be grown. The moisture retaining medium may be compost or may be some other medium to which plant nutrients can be added as necessary.

Growing bags have been successful because they offer an easily locatable and easily replaceable growing medium. The gardener can place them wherever he chooses.

There are however problems arising from the use of growing bags. Firstly, when the growing medium is watered, there is a tendency for some of this medium to be washed out of the top of the bag and onto the surrounding ground. Secondly, watering takes a long time and is imprecise, since the water can only be applied over a relatively small area of the growing medium. Thirdly, the plant roots tend to grow towards the most moist part of the growing medium and therefore they tend to work towards the surface of the growing medium, rather than

extending down into the medium.

The applications of this invention are not however restricted to growing bags. The invention can be used successfully with hanging baskets and with plants grown in so-called planters, where a combination of complementary plants are grown for display in a single container.

According to the present invention, there is provided a plant raising device, the device comprising a body, an opening through the body for receiving plant growing medium, and a water trough surrounding the opening with holes for the passage of water formed through the walls of the trough.

Where the opening throught the body is to be mounted against a wall, the trough may surround the opening only on those sides of the trough where the wall is not. However in many embodiments, the opening will be surrounded on all sides by the trough, and in this case, the trough is preferably annular and preferably circular.

The trough is preferably moulded from plastics material, and to assist the moulding process, the walls form, when seen in cross-section, a generally frusto-conical shape. One or both of ttie walls can have steps formed in them with the steps lying generally normal to the axis of the trough, with the holes being formed in the steps, and thus parallel to the axis of the trough.

The device may also have a support to support it at a ixed height above the base of a container such as a hanging basket. The support may include a dish to lie at the bottom of the container (to retain water) and legs upstanding from the dish to support the trough.

The open top of the trough may be provided with a covering of a mesh or the like to allow water or other liquids to enter the

trough but to prevent leaves or petals of plants falling into the trough.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plant raising device for use with a growing bag, the device comprising a hollow collar and a water trough surrounding the collar, the trough having apertures at the bottom through which water can flow out of the trough.

In use, a hole is cut in the top of a growing bag of a size which allows all the apertures of the trough to lead directly into the growing medium. The device is then placed over the hole, and a plant is planted in the hollow collar. The outer edge of the water trough sits on the edges of the hole cut in the wall of the bag, so that the growing medium is not exposed around the outside of the device. The growing medium is only exposed within the hollow collar.

In a preferred embodiment, a downwardly extending annular wall is arranged beneath the trough, radially outside the-apertures in the bottom of the trough, and the hole in the bag is cut so as to just allow the downwardly extending wall to pass through the hole. The wall then prevents any migration of the growing medium out of the hole. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the bottom edge of the wall has serrations or other bag wall cutting or perforating means so that the hole in the bag can be cut by forcing the device onto the top wall of the bag. The piece of bag wall material which is thus cut out can be removed through the collar.

Preferably the collar forms the inner wall of the trough and is higher than the outer wall of the trough, so that if the trough is overfilled, the excess water does overflows from the outer wall and not enter the growing bag.

The water trough may include water volume measuring means, so that a precise quantity of water can be fed to a plant.

The invention also provides a method of raising plants in growing bag, wherein a hole is cut in a top panel of the bag, a wall is placed around the perimeter of the hole and a water reservoir is arranged so that water can flow rom the reservoir into the hole.

Preferably the water reservoir has a known volume and is arranged so that the water can flow out of the xeservαir at a slower rate than it can be poured into the reservoir.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a growing bag illustrating a method of raising plants in accordance with the prior art;

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing plants being raised using a device and. method in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 is a cross-section through a plant being raised in accordance with the invention;

Figure 4 is a side view of a plant raising device in accordance with the invention;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the device of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a cross-section through a hanging basket incorporating a device in accordance with the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view from above of the basket of Figure 6, with the plants omitted;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an alternative basket incorporating a device in accordance with the invention;

and

Figure 9 shows a planter in which a number of troughs in accordance with the invention are used.

Figure 1 shows a growing bag 10 in which three tomato plants 12, 14, 16 are growing in a manner which is already known. Three square apertures 18 have been cut from the top panel 20 of the bag, and the plants have been planted in the centre of each of these apertures 18. When the growing medium 22 exposed by the apertures 18 is watered, some of the growing medium washes out of the bag and comes to lie on the ground at 24. This looks messy. In addition the quantity of water supplied to the plants cannot be accurately measured because some of it soaks into the growing medium 22, but some washes over the side of the bag. Furthermore because there is more water near the surface than at the bottom of the bag, the plant roots 26 tend to grow towards the surface, and eventually they emerge from the surface which is undesirable. In particular, compost erosion due to watering causes roots to be exposed causing dryness and damage with possible disease. Liquid mineral feed can also become locked-in after a time and the shallow depth of the growing bag then tends to amass both first (nutrient) and secondary (water uptake) root systems which further hinder effective accurate watering and feeding.

In the arrangement according to the invention, shown in Figure 2, the plants 12a, 14a, _^ 16a are planted in the material of the growing bag 10, through plant raising devices generally indicated at 28. The devices 28 cover the aperture cut in the top panel of the bag, so that there is no growing medium exposed outside the devices 28. Furthermore the plants can be watered and fed through the devices 28 to ensure an accurate and effective feeding regime.

This is shown in more detail in Figure 3. The device 28, which is a one-piece plastics moulded body, has a collar 30

surrounded by an annular water trough 32. The collar 30 forms an inner wall of the trough 32, and the trough has an outer wall 34. At the base of the trough are water dispersion apertures 36.

To use the device, a hole is cut in the top panel 20 of the bag 10 of a size smaller than the area encompassed by the outer wall 34 of the trough. Beneath the trough is a -downwardly extending annular wall 38 which has a tapered outer face 39, and this wall serves to define the size of hole required to be cut in the top panel 20. As can be seen, the base of the trough sits on the top panel 20 to provide a seal to prevent growing medium fro escaping from the bag via the hole cut in the top panel.

Figure 4 shows how the wall 38 can have a serrated bottom edge so that the wall can itself form the cutting tool which cuts the aperture in the panel 20 of the bag.

The top rim 35 of the outer wall 34 is turned outward as shown to prevent crawling insects or slugs from reaching the plant.

In use, a growing bag 10 is placed flat on the surface where the plants are to be grown. A number of plant raising devices 28 corresponding to the number of holes to be cut in the bag are placed on the top panel 20 of the bag, and are positioned relative to one another and to the bag as desired. The devices are then each pressed down and rotated so that the serrated edge 40 of each downwardly extending wall 38 cuts through the material of the growing bag to separate a circular piece of material from the panel 20. The device 28 is then pushed firmly down into the bag so that the edge of the hole in the bag is stretched around the tapered face 39 of the wall 38, to form a seal. The device is pushed far enough in until the bottom of the trough 32 sits on the top panel of the bag around the aperture. By reaching in through the collar 30, the separated piece of wall material can be pulled out and

discarded.

It will be noted that the device will cut a circular hole in the top panel of the bag. The circular perimeter of the hole will form a good seal with the outer face 39 of the wall 38. Furthermore, a circular hole is less likely than a square or rectangular hole to lead to subsequent splitting of the bag material, and therefore the integrity of the bag should be retained for a relatively long time.

Next, a small quantity of potting compost or like material is placed inside the collar 30 and the plant seedling is planted in this compost. Now a proper feeding and watering regime can commence.

The plant is watered by using a watering can 42 or a hose to fill the trough 32. Depending on the requirements of the particular plant, the trough may either be filled to the brim as defined by the outer wall 34, or can be filled to a predetermined level within the trough. A separate water level measuring device may be incorporated, or graduations may be moulded into the wall of the trough. The water will disperse over a period of time, through the openings 36 into the growing medium 22. The holes 36 should be of a size such as to allow gradual dispersion of the water through the growing medium.

When the plant is young, and when the compost 44 appears dry, then further water may be introduced through the collar 30 as indicated by the arrow 47.

Plant food and nutrients can be placed in the top of the collar 30 and can be watered in as required.

A device of the invention can however be used in application other than with growing bags. Figures 6 to 8 show a device used with suspended flower baskets, and Figure 9 shows devices used with plants growing in soil.

Figure 6 shows a basket 50 which can be supported from a fixed point by chains 52. The basket contains a growing medium 54 such as soil or compost, and plants 56, 58 and 60 are planted in this medium.

An annular trough 62 is embedded in the growing medium 54. This trough has an inner wall 64, an outer wall 66 and a base 68. The outer wall 66 has steps at 70 and 72, and holes indicated at 74 are formed in the steps and in the base 68. A mesh cover 76 (which may be removable) fits over the open top of the trough, and is indicated in a scrap section in Figure 7.

At the bottom of the basket 50, a dish or saucer 78 is laid. Extending upwardly from this dish are legs 80 which support the base 68 of the trough at a predetermined distance above the bottom of the basket. In use, the dish 78 is placed in the basket, with the legs 80 extending upwards. Compost or soil is then filled into the lower part of the basket, up to the level of the tops of the__legs. The trough 62 is then laid in the basket so that it rests on the legs 80. More compost is then added.both through the centre opening of the trough and around the outside to fill the basket. The basket can then be planted. The plants are watered by pouring water into the open top of the trough 62, through the mesh 76 if this is fitted.

The legs 80 prevent the trough from sinking into the basket when the trough is full of water and the compost is moist. The mesh 76 prevents leaves 77 and the like from dropping into the trough and blocking the holes 74.

As well as water, liquid nutrients can be fed to the plants through the trough 62. Because the water enters the compost below the surface thereof, the water is directed immediately to the plant roots 82, and this encourages good root growth. Furthermore because of the volume of the trough 62, sufficient water can be introduced to the basket in one watering operation to supply the plants for an extended length of time.

In order for the trough to be economically manufactured as an injection moulding, there needs to be a taper on the walls 64 and 66. The inner wall 64 may also be stepped, in the same manner as shown for the outer wall 66. Although the shape of the trough shown in Figure 6 is optimised for injection moulding, other shapes are possible, and the holes 74 may extend through the walls in a direction radially of the trough axis.

A basket 50a, similar to the basket 50, can be designed for mounting on a wall 92, as shown in Figure 8. In this case, the trough 62a is part-circular or part-elliptical and surrounds that part of the central opening 51 which is not bounded by the wall 92. This basket 50a will be constructed with the same features as shown in Figure 6 and 7, modified as appropriate to suit the external shape of the basket.

Devices in accordance with the invention can also be used in other plant containers, or directly in open soil. Figure 9 shows a container 90 in which four different plants 92 are shown, each planted in the centre opening of a respective trough 62. The plants are watered through the troughs 62, and this leads to optimum root growth and thus to healthy plants.

Raising plants in this way using the device 28 as shown in Figure 3 or the devices shown in Figures 6 to 9 has a number of advantages. These are listed as follows:

• It is easy to supply the plant with an accurately known quantity of water.

• It is easy to supply the plant with an accurately known quantity of foodstuffs or nutrients.

• The increased depth resulting from the presence of the compost 44 encourages both first and second root systems giving healthy plant growth. In this way, use of the

device simultes the advantageous ring culture system.

• Diseases, pests, algae and weeds are minimised because only a minimum area of compost is exposed to the air.

• Erosion of the compost by watering and/or feeding is minimised thus preventing an unsightly mess around the growing bag.

• Top dressing can be easily applied if necessary and will not be washed away when next watering.

• Healthier plants result in improved crop -yield.

• The risk of the growing medium and/or the plants being disturbed by animals is substantially reduced.

The plant raising device 28 can be conveniently be manufactured by injection moulding of plastics. The device can be used over and over again.

In addition, and as shown in Figure 5, the collar 30 can support integrally moulded sockets 46 for a plant support framework.

The use of the plant raising device as shown in Figures 2 to 5 and of the method here described allow greatly improved efficiency of operation using growing bags and facilitates the production of healthy plants with good yields. Use of the trough 62 has the same benefits in non-growing bag applications.