GB2244904A

GB2244904A - Accessory for plant containers

Info

Publication number: GB2244904A
Application number: GB9111507A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Hugh Mckinstry Brown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-06-15
Filing date: 1991-05-29
Publication date: 1991-12-18
Also published as: GB9111507D0

Abstract

An accessory for a plant container is disclosed comprising a mass of water permeable material 10 and pipe means 11 extending from said mass. <IMAGE>

Description

ACCESSORY FOR PLANT CONTAINERS This invention concerns an accessory for plant containers especially, though by no means exclusively, useful with hanging baskets.

Hanging baskets normally comprise a wire basket which .is lined with moss before being filled with a planting medium and planted with suitable subjects, some of which may extend through the moss lining and basket structure.

Hanging baskets need regular watering, more frequently in fact than other kinds of plant container since water evaporates not only from the planted surface but also from the entire exposed surface of the moss lining. The watering of hanging baskets is notoriously difficult not only on account of their elevated position.

The applied water tends to run off the leaves of the plants and the planted surface over the edges of the basket to fall to the ground and thorough wetting of the moss lining is not usually possible short of taking the basket down and standing it in a water bath. Few gardeners are willing to go to such lengths.

It is an object of the invention to provide an accessory for a plant container which addresses the problem aforesaid.

According to the present invention there is provided an accessory for a plant container comprising a mass of water permeable material and pipe means extending from said mass.

The mass may be comprised by a block of plastics foam having interconnected cells.

The mass may be sized and shaped to fit in the base of the container in which it is to be used.

The pipe means may be comprised by a length of flexible hose.

One end of the pipe means may be located within the body of said mass.

The end of the pipe means remote from the mass may be outwardly flared.

More than one pipe means may extend from the mass.

The invention will be further apparent from the following description, with reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example only, two forms of accessory embodying same.

Of the drawings : Figure 1 shows a side view of a first form of accessory; Figure 2 shows a plan view of the accessory of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a cross-section through the accessory on the line III-III of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a cross-section through a hanging basket with the accessory of Figure 1 installed therein; Figure 5 shows a side view of a second form of accessory; and Figure 6 shows a cross-section through a plant tube with the accessory of Figure 5 installed therein.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, it will be seen that the first form of accessory comprises a generally cylindrical mass 10 of a plastics foam material such as polyurethane and having interconnected cells. Extending upwardly from within the mass 10 is a length of flexible plastics hose 11.

In use the mass 10 is located within a hanging basket 12 lined with moss 13 and filled with compost 14 in which plants 15 are rooted, with the free end of the length of hose 11 protruding outwardly from the upper surface of the compost bed.

The hanging basket is watered by pouring water into the basket through the hose 11. The water passes outwardly through the permeable mass 10 to moisten thoroughly the compost 14 and moss lining 13. A reservoir of water is retained within the pores of the mass 10 which migrates into the compost and lining over a period.

Tests have shown that hanging baskets provided with the accessory can be quickly and easily adequately watered, and that extended intervals between watering are possible without deleterious effect on the plant 15.

Figures 5 and 6 show a second form of accessory wherein like parts are numbered with like reference numerals. In this example the mass 10 is in the form of a rectangular block sized and shaped to fit into the base of a rectangular plant tub 16. Because of the extended size of the mass 10, three lengths of hose 11 are provided at spaced locations. The upper ends of the hose length are outwardly flared to facilitate the introduction of water.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

1. An accessory for a plant container comprising a mass of water permeable material and pipe means extending from said mass.

2. An accessory according to claim 1, in which the mass is comprised by a block of plastics foam having interconnected cells.

3. An accessory according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the mass is sized and shaped to fit in the base of the container in which it is to be used.

4. An accessory according to any one of claims 1-3, in which the pipe means is comprised by a length of flexible hose.

5. An accessory according to any one of claims 1-4, in which one end of the pipe means is located within the body of said mass.

6. An accessory according to any one of claims 1-5, in which more than one pipe means extend from the mass.

6. An accessory according to any one of claims 1-5, in which the end of the pipe means remote from the mass is outwardly flared.

7. An accessory according to any one of claims 1-6, in which more than one pipe means extend from the mass.

TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS.

1. An accessory for a plant container comprising a mass of water permeable material and pipe means extending from said mass and having one of its ends located within the body of the mass.

5. An accessory according to any one of claims 1-4, in which the end of the pipe means remote from the mass is outwardly flared.