The present invention relates to a cultivation pot for a cultivation system for cultivating plants from e.g. seeds, seedlings, cuttings, etc. arranged in or onto substrate plugs, wherein the cultivation pot comprises a fluid filling channel extending from a bottom and/or side wall of the cultivation pot. In further aspects, the invention also relates to a container for a plant grown in a cultivation pot according to one of the present invention embodiments, and to a method for growing plants from e.g. seeds, seedlings, cuttings, etc. arranged in or onto a substrate plug.

Background art International patent publication WO2019/203367 discloses a cultivation system for cultivating plants from e.g. seeds, seedlings, cuttings, etc. arranged in or onto substrate plugs. A cultivation pot has a bottom wall, a side wall and a filling channel extending upwards from the bottom and/or side wall.

US patent publication US2019/327921 discloses a hydroponic grow system with multiple grow containers, a reservoir, and a water pump. An output of the water pump is coupled to an inlet of the reservoir and at least one outlet of the reservoir is coupled to an input of the water pump. A hydroponic grow container includes a grow vessel and an adaptable manifold coupled to the grow vessel. The reservoir has at least one inlet, at least one outlet, a return tank, and a distribution tank. US patent publication US2009/126269 discloses an apparatus for growing living organisms such as plants. A growing unit is provided with a conduit connected to a source of fluid.

International patent publication WO2014/077682 discloses a growing system and method for growing plants on water, using a container tray which floats on a liquid reservoir. The container tray has raised openings for holding a plug with a plant.

Summary of the invention

The present invention seeks to provide an improved cultivation system for growing plants, with an emphasis on improved fluid supply and handling of the cultivation pots with plants

According to the present invention, a cultivation pot as defined above is provided, wherein the fluid filling channel has an exhaust aperture near an upper edge of the cultivation pot, the cultivation pot further comprising a lid having a grow aperture with an inner diameter of at least 5 cm, e.g. at least 10cm. This group of embodiments allows filling the cultivation pot with water to a high level in the cultivation pot, which results in a less frequent filling requirement during growth of the plants in the cultivation pot. Also the grow aperture is large enough to allow to take out the plant plug (or plant on its own) without any risk of damaging the plant roots, and without needing much effort for further handling (the roots of the plant can e.g. block the aperture if it is too small). In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a container for a plant grown in a cultivation pot according to any one of the present invention embodiments, having an upper edge aperture congruent to the plant plug holder.

In an even further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for growing plants from e.g. seeds, seedlings, cuttings, etc. arranged in or onto a substrate plug, comprising growing a plant in a cultivation pot according to any one of the present invention embodiments, and repacking the plant in a container according to any one of the present invention embodiments by positioning the plant plug holder onto the container. This allows for a very efficient handling of the plants during the entire growth cycle.

Short description of drawings

The present invention will be discussed in more detail below, with reference to the attached drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a cultivation pot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a cultivation pot according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the cultivation pot shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a container carrying a grown plant according to an even further embodiment of the present invention.

Description of embodiments

Growing plants from seeds, seedlings, cuttings, etc. is done more and more in water culture based systems allowing precise control of the grow process and easier collection of full grown plants. The present invention embodiments aim to further improve the process for growing plants using hydroculture, especially for plants developing large roots, such as lettuce, basil, etc.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a cultivation pot 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cultivation pot 1 has a bottom wall 4a (see Fig. 3), side walls 4b and an upper edge 4c, delineating a pot aperture at the top side of the cultivation pot 1. In the embodiment shown, the side walls 4b are tilted slightly outward and form a rectangular cultivation pot 1. Other shapes and forms of the cultivation pot 1 are possible within the scope of the present invention.

The cultivation pot 1 further comprises a lid 5, having a (central) grow aperture 5a, in this exemplary embodiment delineated by a grow aperture rim 5b which extends upwards, i.e. away from the bottom wall 4a of the cultivation pot 1 . The lid 5 has a circumference which is congruent with the open top aperture of the cultivation pot 1 , resulting in a cultivation pot 1 which is closed off on all sides, with the exception of the grow aperture 5a. Furthermore, the exemplary embodiment of the cultivation pot 1 shown in Fig. 1 comprises a fluid spreader surface 6 provided near the grow aperture rim 5b as part of the lid 5.

The fluid spreader surface 6 cooperates during operation with a fluid filling channel 3 extending from a bottom and/or side wall 4a, 4b of the cultivation pot 1. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a cultivation pot according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a plant plug holder 7 is present having an outer circumference congruent to the grow aperture 5a in the lid 5. The plant plug holder 7 is provided with a rim 7a, which settles over the grow aperture rim 5b (see Fig. 1). In the exemplary embodiment shown, the plant plug holder 7 has two apertures for holding a plant plug 2. In further alternative embodiments, one, three or even more apertures may be provided, depending on the type of plant being grown.

Fig. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the cultivation pot shown in Fig. 2, including the two plants in the plant plugs 2. In this cross sectional view, the bottom wall 4a of the cultivation pot 1 is visible, as is the fluid filling channel 3. The fluid filling channel 3 has an exhaust aperture 3a near an upper edge 4c of the cultivation pot 1 , which allows filling the cultivation pot 1 with water to a high level in the cultivation pot 1 (which results in a less frequent filling requirement during growth of the plants in the cultivation pot 1).

Also shown is that the grow aperture 5a has an inner diameter which is large enough to allow to take out the plant plug 2 (or plant on its own) without any risk of damaging the plant roots, and without needing much effort for further handling (the roots of the plant can e.g. block the aperture if it is too small). The inner diameter of the grow aperture 5a is at least 5 cm, e.g. at least 10cm. The inner diameter of the grow aperture 5a is large enough to let roots pass without any obstruction. Note that the amount of roots depends on the type of crop so the size of the grow aperture 5a is wide enough for a broad variety of crops in a specific embodiment, e.g. between 5 and 10 cm.

In a further embodiment, the exhaust aperture 3a is provided at or above the upper edge 4c of the cultivation pot 1 (e.g. several mm above the upper edge 4c), providing the advantage that the cultivation pot 1 can be filled up to its maximum content, enlarging the amount of growth time that can be provided for the plant plugs 2.

The function of the fluid spreader surface 6 as shown in Fig. 2 can be better understood from the cross sectional view of Fig. 3. The fluid spreader surface 6 is provided near a grow aperture rim 5b of the lid 5, and is arranged to spread water coming from the fluid filling channel 3 into the cultivation pot 1 without causing splattering of water out of the cultivation pot 1 , damage to the plant roots, or damage to the material (e.g. cardboard) of the plant plug holder 7. Splattering of water might possibly occur in view of the large diameter of the grow aperture 5a. To further enhance this functionality, in a further embodiment, a distance between the exhaust aperture 3a of the fluid filling channel 3 and the fluid spreader surface 6 is less than 2 cm. In further exemplary embodiments, the distance is less than 1 cm, e.g. less than 0.5 cm. This allows to supply water at a high flow velocity through the fluid filling channel 3, as the fluid spreader surface 6 will ensure proper spreading and directing of the water flow. In an even further embodiment, the fluid spreader surface 6 has a dome shaped inner surface, e.g. aligned with the axis of the fluid filling channel 3. The dome shaped inner surface is e.g. a semi-sphere, an arched surface etc., which are easy to incorporate in the manufacturing process of the lid 5 (e.g. using injection moulding). The dimensions of the fluid spreader surface 6 are e.g. 1 cm diameter, and 1 cm height. As is apparent from both the perspective view of Fig. 1 and from the cross sectional view of Fig. 3, in a further embodiment, the grow aperture rim 5b protrudes from the lid 5, i.e. it is an upward directed rim. In combination with the plant plug holder 7 it is then possible to keep the plug medium above the water level in the cultivation pot 1 under all circumstances, thus not negatively influencing growth of the plant and the plant roots.

The lid 5 has an outer circumference 5c congruent to an open aperture at the upper edge 4c of the cultivation pot 1 , effectively closing off the cultivation pot 1 (especially relevant during filling of the cultivation pot 1 with water).

In a further group of embodiments, the cultivation pot 1 further comprising a plant plug holder 7 having an outer circumference congruent to the grow aperture 5a, allowing to neatly position the plant plugs 2 in the cultivation pot 1 at the start of a growing process. In a further embodiment, (as e.g. shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3) the plant plug holder 7 comprises a holder rim 7a extending over the grow aperture rim 5b in operation. This facilitates easy and secure placement of the plant plug holder 7 on the lid 5 of the cultivation pot 1 , and furthermore allows handling of the plant plugs 2 later on in the growing process (especially in the harvesting phase). By making the holder rim 7a slightly wider than the grow aperture rim 5b, it is possible to easily lift off the plant plug holder 7 without causing any movement of the cultivation pot 1 .

The material of the plant plug holder 7 is advantageously made of a biodegradable material (e.g. paper based material). This has advantages in the logistic process of the plant plugs, at the end of the growing process, but also during the growing process, and after the growing process.

Fig. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a container carrying a grown plant according to an even further embodiment of the present invention. The plant plug holder 7 with plant plugs 2 is shown as being provided on top of a container 8 having an upper edge aperture 8a congruent to the plant plug holder 7. The container 8 can be used as a temporary transport means for the plants in the plant plug holder 7 as the plant plug holder 7 serves as a sealing lid to the container 8. The container 8 can even be used for the entire logistic route from plant grower to the end user. This allows to continue the growing process after harvesting at the plant grower, providing an even fresher plant to the end user. By adding a predetermined amount of water in the container 8 before the plant plug holder 7 is placed on the container 8, the shelf life of the product (plant, crop) is extended to a maximum of seven days compared to one day without watering

In a further embodiment, the container 8 comprises a biodegradable cup (e.g. cardboard), which allows to provide sufficient rigidity and structural integrity for the intended purpose of the container 8. In an even further embodiment, the container 8 has a water resistant inner lining, e.g. from PLA, extending the durability of the container 8.

The cultivation pot 1 and container 8 as described above can be advantageously applied in a method for growing plants from e.g. seeds, seedlings, cuttings, etc. arranged in or onto a substrate plug 2 in a further aspect of the present invention. The method comprises growing a plant in a cultivation pot 1 according to any one of the present invention embodiments as described above, and repacking the plant in a container 8 according to any one of the embodiments described above, by positioning the plant plug holder 7 onto the container 8. In addition, the method may comprise filling the containerwith a consumable amount of water before repacking the plant. The invention method embodiments have the advantage that it is possible to optimize both the growing part and the logistic part by using components (cultivation pot 1 and container 8) which are optimized for the respective handling part of growing plants. Handling and transportation (and further logistic operations, such as display for selling) of the plants in a cultivation pot 1 are more difficult than in a container 8. Growing plants in a container 8 would have the disadvantage of being less suitable for the growth process of the plants, especially the final phase of growing. Furthermore, the method may comprise robotic handling of the plant plug holder 7.

Robotic handling is possible due to the structure and dimensions of the plant plug holder 7 in combination with the further cultivation pot 1 features and dimensions during all phases of the growing process, i.e. from the start of the growing process, during the growing process and during the subsequent (logistic) handling of the grown plants. More specifically, using the present invention embodiments of the cultivation pot 1 and container 8, it is possible to easily lift plant plug holder 7 from the cultivation pot 1 without moving the cultivation pot 1 itself or without any obstruction since the plant plug holder 7 rests softly on the grow aperture rim 5b and does not stick in any way to the cultivation pot 1 . Further the roots of the plants grown are not blocked by any obstruction when the plant plug holder 7 is removed from the cultivation pot 1 (see Fig 3) and moved to the container 8 (see Fig 4). By this way robotic handling of the plant plug holder 7 becomes possible since there is not any obstruction caused by the natural growth process of the roots (which can be a wide ball of roots).

The present invention has been described above with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments as shown in the drawings. Modifications and alternative implementations of some parts or elements are possible, and are included in the scope of protection as defined in the appended claims.