GB2150405A

GB2150405A - Improvements relating to cultivation of vegetables and other plants

Info

Publication number: GB2150405A
Application number: GB08430771A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Toshiro Kaneko
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-12-05
Filing date: 1984-12-05
Publication date: 1985-07-03
Also published as: GB8430771D0; IE832860L

Abstract

An apparatus and method relating to improvement of cultivation of vegetables and other plants, comprising a plurality of cultivation regions (12) each containing young plants which are allowed to grow from seeds by supplying a cultivation liquid several times during the growth period such that the growing plants absorb the cultivation liquid before the next supply. The plant roots are made to grow entwined and substantially straight upward within each cultivation region (12). The regions 12 are defined in body 10 by partitions 14 shaped at their tops in order to supply the cultivation liquid equally on each cultivation region (12), the liquid being supplied by means of a nozzle controlled according to data recorded on a detector by monitoring the condition of the roots. Thereafter, the fully grown plants are packed in cases (78) provided with non-transparent parts (94,96) to contain the entwined roots (116) and ventilation holes to give air-ventilation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvement relating to cultivation of vegetables and other plants This invention relates to an improvement of cultivation of vegetables and other plants.

Conventionally, edible young plants, for example, "Kaiware Daikon", a kind of radish sprout, have been produced by sowing their seeds in a field, cutting the cultivated young plants one by one, packing them neatly in a wood package or the like, and finally putting them on the market. However, in the conventional method, it needs troublesome work or labour to cultivate them and they cannot be produced by mass production. Consequently, the price is high and only a limited number of persons can eatthem, at high class restaurants.

When radish sprouts are planted and grown in a crowded condition in a cultivation box, the plants must be cut into several parts to sell them to consumers through the distribution system. The plants put in a small sized pack are easy to handle and buy in the market. However, these kinds of vegetables are still young, soft and weak, and therefore they are apt to be damaged in the parting process. As a result, they have the disadvantages of short life, which reduces their value as merchandise.

This invention aims to provide a new and improved cultivation method for young plants such as radish sprouts, wherein considerable labour saving is achieved and the cultivation is done effectively to give a product of good quality.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide the plants by carrying out the cultivation of the plants of good quality in mass production and economically at a price which is reasonable to consumers.

The present invention is carried out in a cultivation region having a fixed region for cultivating the group of the young plants so that the young plants may be marketed as a unit which is easily handled by consumers.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of plant cultivation comprising: defining a plurality of cultivation regions, placing a suitable number of seeds within said cultivation regions, allowing young plants to grow from the seeds in groups in the cultivation regions, supplying a cultivation liquid several times during the growing period to said cultivation regions, determining the volume of cultivation liquid to be supplied at one time such that the growing plants absorb said supplied cultivation liquid in said cultivation regions during the time period prior to the next supply of cultivation liquid, controlling the direction of growth of the plant roots while the plants are being grown in order that the roots of the plants grown within a cultivation region grow entwined, and growing the multiple young plants with their entwined roots and ensuring that the stems grown from the entwined roots extend substantially straight and upward.

The present invention also provides a method of plant cultivation comprising: defining a plurality of cultivation regions, placing a suitable number of seed within said cultivation regions, allowing young plants to grow from the seeds in groups in the cultivation regions, supplying a cultivation liquid several times during the growing period to the cultivation regions, determining the volume of supplying said cultivation liquid at one time so as to be absorbed by the growing plants in the cultivation regions until the next supply time, and wherein the roots of the plants are dried up a little by lacking cultivation liquid for a short time after the supplied cultivation liquid is soaked up, determining the volume of the next supply of cultivation liquid according to the growth degree of the plants by monitoring the particular condition of the roots of plants which are a little dried up by the lack of cultivation liquid for a short time after the prior supply of cultivation liquid has been absorbed by the plants grown in the cultivation regions, repeating the control of supply of cultivation liquid mentioned above, and taking out the group of the grown young plants out of the cultivation regions.

The present invention further provides a plant cultivation device for use in the above methods, which device has a cultivation body for cultivating plants, divided by partitions into a plurality of cultivation regions having bottom zones, each cultivation region housing in the region the young plants grown from the seeds placed in the cultivation region and keeping the plants separated from the young plants in another region during the growing period, the growing direction of the roots of the plants in the cultivation regions is determined to ensure that the roots are entangled with each other to give a group of multiple plants, and wherein each partition zone of the cultivation body is formed to project in a shape of a roof at the centre of its upper face in order to supply equally the cultivation liquid on each cultivation region, and the cultivation body in use is adapted to provide a space in which the plants grown in the cultivation regions can be extended upwardly from the cultivation regions.

Further, the present invention provides a cultivation liquid supply device for use in the above methods, this device comprising a tank containing cultivation liquid to be supplied to the plants, a nozzle for supplying the cultivation liquid contained in the tank two the plants, a conveyor means for placing the cultivation device under the nozzle and removing the cultivation device relative to the nozzle so as to supply the liquid to the plants in the cultivation device, a detector detecting the cultivational parameters in the cultivation field such as temperature, humidity, sunshine time duration, cultivation time, rainfall or the like, and a controller for controlling the opening and closing of the nozzle and the speed of said conveyor means according to the data on the detector in order to control the liquid supply volume to the plants in the cultivation device.

Further, the present invention provides a packing case of multiple young plants with their entwined roots and stems from the entwined roots, comprising a receptacle for receiving the young plants, and a cover for covering the receptacle, wherein a part of the packing case (receptacle and/or cover) is made non-transparent, concealing the entwined roots.

Preferably, the volume of cultivation liquid supplied to the seeds and the young plants placed in the cultivation regions is controlled and restricted in order to keep the plant roots in a good condition and to grow them well.

Embodiments of the invention are described in detail below, by example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cultivation device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the cultivation device; Figure 3 is a partly broken front view of the cultivation devices according to another embodiment in their stacked condition; Figures 4 - 9 are partly broken sectional views showing, in order, the cultivation condition of the radish sprouts in the cultivation device; Figure 10 is a partly broken sectional view of the cultivation device of another embodiment; Figure 11 shows a partly broken side view of a water supply device; Figure 12 depicts a partly enlarged sectional view showing a water supplying condition of the water supply device;; Figure 13 is an explanatory view of an apparatus for controlling the supply volume of the water supply device; Figure 14 is a perspective view of the selling container; Figure 15 is a perspective view of the selling container with its cover open; Figure 16 is a sectional view of the selling container in which the radish sprouts are packed; and Figure 17 shows another embodiment of the selling container.

The present invention will be described with reference to an embodiment in which radish sprouts are cultivated.

The cultivation device (10) is made of waterimpermeable material such as foamed polystryrol, plastics of other kinds and metals, and has a plurality of cultivation regions (12). Each cultivation region is divided in its interior by the partition 14, and there is a bottom zone 16 at the lower portion. As shown in drawings, the cultivation region has a rectangular shape at its plan view. However, various shapes such as square, oblong, triangle, polygon, circle and oval can be selected as desired according to the packing of the cultivated plants, selling condition, application, and ease of the cultivation operation.

There is a wall portion 18 standing upright at the periphery of the cultivation device 10. By the wall portion, a space 20 is formed, wherein the plants under-mentioned are grown upward. The wall portions 18 has partly cut-away portions 22 or holes at its four sides or two sides. When the cultivation device are stacked for use, air is ventilated through the above cut-away portions or holes to the plants cultivated in the cultivation devices, and the cultivation condition can be observed through the cut-away portions.

On the underside of the cultivation device, there is an engagement portion 24 which is engaged with the upper portion of the wall portion of the cultivation device which is situated below when these devices are stacked. Figure 3 shows a plurality of cultivation devices 26 having no wall portion, and they are stacked by means of a spacer 30 having the cut portion formed independently.

When four poles are placed at the four corners of the cultivation device 26, they are stacked with spaces between them as described above.

Referring to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings, seeds 31 of radish sprouts are soaked in water so that sufficient water is absorbed to promote some germination of the seeds. Preferably, partially grown seeds are scattered on the cultivation region 23.

The bottom wall area of the cultivation region shown in Figure 4 of the 25 drawings is about 35 cm2. When about 100-220 of the seeds are placed in this area, a layer of the seeds almost covers the said bottom wall area (Figure 4). It is of course possible that the cultivation region is reduced in size according to the particular usage of the plants to be cultivated for a smaller volume of seeds scattered thereon, on the other hand, in order to place much more seeds on the region, the cultivation region may be enlarged.

When a small volume of seeds are scattered on a large cultivation region, the plants having a relatively coarse planting condition can be obtained.

In order to cultivate the plants, the cultivation liquid is supplied to the cultivation region 12 of the cultivation device to soak the scattered seeds slightly. The cultivation devices are generally stacked in a farmer's cultivation house or frame, and the plants are grown there in a dark, light-restricted environment. Ordinary tap water is used as the cultivation liquid, but it is preferably to use water containing fertilizer or mineral, if necessary. On the next day germs grow from the seeds and then water necessaryto cultivate them is sprayed on the germs. The cultivation device made of foam styrol makes it possible to keep the material under the desired warm condition within the device, and to promote growth of the plants.

The upper surface of the partition partitioning the respective cultivation regions 12 of the cultivation device, is a roof-shaped portion 32 which sharply extrudes or gradually protrudes upward from both sides or one side.

Consequently, when the cultivation liquid is supplied onto the cultivation device, the liquid does not stay partly on the partition but is equally scattered and rapidly supplied on each cultivation region 12 owing to the roof-shaped portion 32. The upper part ofthe wall portion 18 is cut off partly or wholly from its outer edge portion 33, so that the liquid does not stay thereon.

According to the cultivation device 34 shown in Figure 10, a groove 40 is formed on the upper part of the partition 38 of the cultivation region 36 to lead the liquid out of the region. The liquid which falls on the partition 38 is led out of the cultivation device through the groove 40, so that the liquid can be evenly distributed to each cultivation region.

The water supply to the plants in the cultivation region 12 is done usually once or twice a day. The volume of the supply water is so determined that the water once supplied will be almost used up or absorbed by the growing plants in the cultivation region prior to the next water supply. The more preferable water supply method is to provide a short water supply condition to the plants for a short time duration before the next water supply is administered. That is, in the short water supply method applied to the plants, first the plants soak up water to grow in the cultivation region with supplied water, and the roots and stems grow. After the plants with roots have completely soaked up water in the cultivation region, the roots are dried up a little by sufficient air ventilation to them, and thus the roots need to be watered. At this instance the water is supplied again.As a result the roots effectively soak up the supplied water, and the plants grow well and healthily. Usually the second supply of water is increased in volume, because the plants have grown after the first water supply is administered; again the second supply of water is soaked up by the plants and the roots of the plants are almot dried up until the next water supply is administered.

During the cultivation time, the roots 42 soak water and air in the cultivation region repeatedly, and therefore the roots are made healthy and the roots and stems grow strongly. During this time, the roots extend along the bottom zone 16 of the cultivation region seeking the cultivation liquid, turn when they reach the partition 14, and extend wholly within the lower portion of the cultivation region 12, thus entangling with the other roots of the plants.

Then, the stems of the plants extend upwardly from the roots in the entangled condition, and come out of the cultivation region, reaching the upper space 20.

The respective drawings of Figures 5-7 show a seed planting condition (see Figure 4) and various growing steps ofthe radish sprouts every other day.

When a spongy material such as foamed polyurethane is placed in the lower portion of the cultivation region, the roots of the plants extend through the sponge piece, and they are wholly entangled with the sponge piece.

Figures 11-13 depict another embodiment of a water supply device particularly suitable for carrying out the method of the invention by supplying the cultivation liquid to the plants in the above cultivation region 12 so as to improve or carry out the cultivation of the plants in the cultivation region effectively. The water supply device 46 has a water tank 50 containing the cultivation liquid 48 and a nozzle 52 at its lower portion. The supply volume can be controlled by the valve 54 operated automatically by means of a remote control system. There is a chain conveyor 56 for conveying the cultivation device 10 at the lower portion of the nozzle 52. A roller conveyor may be used instead of the above chain conveyor. The conveying speed of these conveying means can be controlled by a speed controllable motor or the like.The water tank with the aforementioned nozzle can also be moved alternatively. When the cultivation liquid is sprayed from the nozzle 52 of the tank with its lower portion passed through the cultivation device 10 by means of the chain conveyor, the liquid is supplied to each cultivation region 12. At the lower portion of the conveyor 56, there is a receiving vessel 58 for receiving the cultivation liquid. As a result the cultivation liquid collected within the water receiving vessel 58 is returned to the tank 50 for the next use through the absorbing tube 60 by means of a pump.

As explained above, the water volume to be supplied to the plants in the cultivation region is changed daily according to the growth of the plants.

Furthermore, the growth of plants is influenced by the temperature, weather condition, rain or fine, seasons (summer or winter), etc., resulting in rapid growth or slow growth. In order to adapt the plants to various cultivating conditions, it is necessary to control the volume of supply water even in the farmer's house or frame. Therefore, as shown in Figure 13, it is desirable to examine the cultivation circumstances and environmental condition by a device such as a thermo-detector 62, a humidity detector 64, a time detector from sunrise to sunset 66 and a rainfall detector 68 provided outside and inside the cultivation factory.The supply volume of water is calculated by a controller 74 having a calculating function in accordance with the data obtained from the above various detectors, the recorder 72 for recording the previous supply water volume, and the timer 70 for calculating the time from previous water supply. The volume of water supply is controlled automatically. With reference to temperature and humidity, the integrated data obtained by calculating figures which have been obtained from the detectors (62) and (64) is preferably used. The above figures are measured every 30 minutes to one hour, after the previous water supply. That is, the volume of water to be supplied next time is determined by collecting data on the change in cultivation condition after the previous water supply, and by comparing the data with the water supply data obtained in the past. When the calculated results show a slight difference between the water supply volume supplied presently and that previous supplied, and the supply volume of water is controlled automatically by changing the conveying speed of the chain conveyor 56 with the speed controllable motor 76.

In the event that the difference is large, it is preferable to adjust the supply volume to be supplied by automatically changing the opening and closing of the valve 54 of the nozzle 52. In order to obtain an adequate supply according to the specific growth condition of the plants in the cultivation region, both of the methods can be employed effectively.

When a large number of the cultivation devices are employed to mass-produce the plants, exclusive water supply devices in numbers corresponding to that of the cultivation stages may be employed to perform the supply operation for the plants in the cultivation region effectively.

As mentioned above, after the cultivation has continued in a relatively dark environment, the stacked cultivation devices are placed flat on the floor sunlight is allowed access to the plants in the devices. Thus, the cultivation is further continued in the cultivation device, while supplying water to the plants. At this cultivation stage, the supply volume of water is increased, and when the water supply device 46 is used, it is preferable to supply water continuously through a nozzle with a little larger diameter instead of spraying it. In the meantime, the roots are more entangled with each other, the stems extend furthermore to the length of about 10 to 13 cm, obtaining radish sprouts having pure white stems 44 and fresh green seed leaves 45 at the end of each stem.Figures 8 and 9 show the cultivation conditions of the radish sprouts growing under the light at an interval of a half day.

The cultivated radish sprouts are pulled by gripping the stems out of the cultivation region, and shipped in a bundle with roots. Thus, it is not necessary to separate the entangled roots to make them loose and perhaps injure the roots and stems.

Further, since they are treated in bundles of equal volume, it is not necessary to weigh them for shipping.

A bundle of the radish sprouts is put into a packing container or bag made of plastics, water-proof carton paper or the like for shipment to dealers and consumers. Figures 14to 16showan exampleofthe packing case 75. The case 78 is made of plastic and has a cover 82 connected in one piece to one side of the receptacle 80. At a position about two fifths of the way along the receptable 80 is provided a divider 84 protruding inward. When roots 42 ofthe young plants are placed in the lower room 86 and the cover 82 is shut, the lower portions of the plant stems are held by the upper wall 88 of the divider 84 so that the plants do not move in the packing case.The upper part 90 of the receptacle 80 and the upper part 92 of the cover of the packing case 78 are made transparent, and the stems and seed leaves can be seen through them. The lower parts 94 and 96 of the packing case are made non-transparent, concealing the roots. In order to improve the value of the plants as merchandise, it is preferable to give on the non-transparent parts the trademark, ingredient, nutrition, effect, usage, storage method of the radish sprouts and other notes or indications 98. Recess portions 100 and 102 are provided on both the circumferential edge portion of the upper part 90 of the receptacle and the upper part 92 of the cover, and thus even when the cover 82 is shut a ventilation hole 104 is made by means of the above recess portions to give air-ventilation to the plants.On the other hand, since there is no ventilation hole in the lower parts 94 and 96 of the packing case, overevaporation of water from the roots is suitably prevented.

Figure 17 shows another embodiment of the packing case 106 which has a receptacle 108 provided with a recess portion 112, and a cover 110 provided with a recess portion 114. The recess portions are arranged alternatively in order to form the ventilation hole 116. On either of the receptacle orthe cover, the recess portion mentioned above can be formed for providing a ventilation hole there.

Because the plants contained in the packing case have their roots attached to them, storage of the packed plants in a refrigerator makes it possible to keep their freshness for about a week or two. If the water is supplied little by little to the roots of the plants, longer storage can be enjoyed.

When the cultivation of the plants in the cultivation device is finished, groups of the plants are contained independently in the respective cultivation regions.

Therefore the cultivation devices containing the cultivated plants can be shipped to the market, and the cultivation device can be also used as a selling container. As consumers can pick up a bundle of plants out of the cultivation region they can purchase a necessary number of bundles at one time.

The radish sprouts are obtained in such a condition that the stem portions can be neatly arranged with the roots cut from the plants. Consequently, they are eaten as they are, inserted in sandwich or use for salad, soup, Canape and other desserts and dishes. The radish sprouts have a bitter flavour sharpening appetite and balanced nutrition such as Vitamin C, mineral, etc. These sprouts have good taste.

In addition to the radish sprouts hereinbefore, the method developed by the present invention can be applied to the cultivation of plants and sprouts such as creson, parsley, alphalpha, chrysanthemum coronarium, or other plants.

Claims

1. A method of plant cultivation comprising: defining a plurality of cultivation regions, placing a suitable number of seeds within said cultivation regions, allowing young plants to grow from the seeds in groups in the cultivation regions, supplying a cultivation liquid several times during the growing period to said cultivation regions, determining the volume of cultivation liquid to be supplied at one time such that the growing plants absorb said supplied cultivation liquid in said culti varion, regions during the time period prior to the next supply of cultivation liquid, controlling the direction of growth of the plant roots while the plants are being grown in order that the roots of the plants grown within a cultivation region grow entwined, and growing the multiple young plants with their entwined roots and ensuring that the stems grown from the entwined roots extend substantially straight and upward.

2. A method of plant cultivation according to claim 1,wherein said plants are radish sprouts; the roots of the plants are entangled with each other in the cultivation regions; they are grown until the stems having seed leaves at their top end grow to about 10-13 cm; and they are grouped.

3. A method of plant cultivation comprising: defining a plurality of cultivation regions, placing a suitable number of seeds within said cultivation regions, allowing young plants to grow from the seeds in groups in the cultivation regions, supplying a cultivation liquid several times during the growing period to the cultivation regions, determining the volume of supplying said cultivation liquid at one time so as to be absorbed by the growing plants in the cultivation regions until the next supply time, and wherein the roots of the plants are dried up a little by lacking cultivation liquid for a short time after the supplied cultivation liquid is soaked up, determining the volume of the next supply of cultivation liquid according to the growth degree of the plants by monitoring the particular condition of the roots of plants which are a little dried up by lack of culivation liquid for a short time after the prior supply of cultivation liquid has been absorbed by the plants grown in the cultivation regions, repeating the control of supply of cultivation liquid mentioned above, and taking out the group of the grown young plants out of the cultivation regions.

4. A plant cultivation device for use in the method of plant cultivation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the device has a cultivation body for cultivating plants, divided by partitions into a plurality of cultivation regions having bottom zones, each cultivation region housing in the region the young plants grown from the seeds placed in that cultivation region and keeping the plants separated from the young plants in another region during the growing period, the growing direction of the roots of the plants in the cultivation regions is determined to ensure that the roots are entangled with each other to give a group of multiple plants, and wherein each partition zone of the cultivation body is formed to project in a shape of a roof at the centre of its upper face in order to supply equally the cultivation liquid on each cultivation region, and the cultivation body in use is adapted to provide a space in which the plants grown in the cultivation regions can be extended upwardly from the cultivation regions.

5. A plant cultivation device according to claim 4, wherein said cultivation device is made from foamed polystyrol.

6. A cultivation liquid supply device use in the method of plant cultivation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a tank containing cultivation liquid to be supplied to the plants, a nozzle for supplying the cultivation liquid contained in the tank to the plants, a conveyor means for placing the cultivation device under the nozzle and removing the cultivation device relative to the nozzle so as to supply the liquid to the plants in the cultivation device, a detector detecting the cultivational parameters in the cultivation field such as temperature, humidity, sunshine time duration, cultivation time, rainfall or the like, and a controller for controlling the opening and closing of the nozzle and the speed of said conveyor means according in the data on the detector in order to control the liquid supply volume to the plants in the cultivation device.

7. A cultivation liquid supply device according to claim 6, wherein the cultivation liquid is water and the controller stores the data on the previous water supply and controls the water supply volume on the basis of the comparison of the stored data and the data detected by the detectors.

8. A packing case of multiple young plants with their entwined roots and stems grown from the entwined roots, comprising a receptacle for receiving the young plants, and a cover for covering the receptacle, wherein a part of the packing case (receptacle and/or cover) is made non-transparent, concealing the entwined roots.

9. A packing case according to claim 8, wherein said receptacle is provided with a partition projecting from the bottom of the receptacle to define a recess to contain in use the entwined roots of the plants.

10. A packing case of plant according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the circumferential edge portions of the receptacle and/or cover have a gap therein to provide a ventilation hole opening to the outside of receptacle when the cover is matched to the receptacle.

11. A packing case of plant according to claim 10, wherein complementary concave recess portions are formed on the circumferential edge portions of said receptacle and said cover to form one ventilation hole when they are matched.

12. A packing case of plants according to claim 10, wherein more than one concave recess portions are provided on the circumferential edge portions of said receptacle and said cover to form staggered ventilation holes when they are matched.

13. A packing case of plants according to claim 10 to 12, wherein said recess portions provided on the circumferential edge portions of the receptacles and/or the cover to form ventilation hole(s) are formed on the upper portions of the receptacle and/or the cover.

14. A plant cultivation device substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1-2, Figure 3, Figures 4-9 and Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A cultivation liquid supply device use for the cultivation of plants substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 11-13 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A packing case for plants substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 14-16 and Figure 17 of the accompanying drawings.