GB2441292A

GB2441292A - Method and apparatus for plant irrigation

Info

Publication number: GB2441292A
Application number: GB0617018A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Martin Faulks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-08-30
Filing date: 2006-08-30
Publication date: 2008-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-30
Also published as: GB2441292B; GB0617018D0

Abstract

A method of irrigating a plant comprising the steps of angling soil surrounding, or intended to support the plant to be irrigated, so as to create a slope 3 leading down towards the base region of the plant, and placing a substantially water-impervious membrane 5 on the slope, thereby causing water, falling wound the plant, in use, to be diverted towards the base region of the plant. The invention also provides devices (figs 3-8) adapted to perform the method comprising water-impervious membrane with one or more intended lines or areas of weakening for example a slit from a middle region to an edge or fold lines defining an angular sector.

Description

Method and Apparatus for Plant Irrigation

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to methods and apparatus for increasing the water supply to a plant, especially where the water supply is in the form of rain or other precipitation. The invention is also concerned with apparatus intended or adapted to facilitate the performance of the method.

Background and Prior Art known to the Applicant

In order to grow and thrive, plants need an adequate supply of water. In some circumstances, for example in semi-arid climates, or in regions, or seasons with low rain fall, water available to a growing plant from rainfall is not adequate to support optimum growth. Also, and especially so in ornamental settings, plants maybe positioned close to walls or fences causing a well known "rain shadow" whereby the plants do not receive adequate water. Equivalently, it may be required or desired to grow a plant more adapted to a high rainfall environment in a particular location having low rainfall.

One solution to this problem is to manually irrigate the plant, for example by watering with a watering can or a hose. Whilst this might be convenient in a small domestic setting, it clearly demands the input of time and labour to ensure that the plant's water requirements are met.

More complex schemes of irrigation have, of course, been devised for use in the horticultural and agricultural sectors such as fixed or mobile irrigation sprays, and drip irrigation. Some of these sophisticated schemes have also been adapted and used in a more domestic environment. Whilst these solutions provide the necessary water, they are clearly expensive to install, maybe unsightly in an ornamental setting, and have a demand for a water feed either from mains water or water stored in a reservoir. With increasing demands for water in a crowded environment, and the financial and environmental costs of providing it, the use of such watering systems is becoming less and less appropriate.

It is an object of the invention to attempt a solution to at least some of these problems.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, in a first independent aspect, the invention provides a method of irrigating a plant comprising the steps of: angling soil surrounding, or intended to support the plant to be irrigated, so as to create a slope leading down towards the base region of the plant; and placing a substantially water-impervious membrane on the slope, thereby causing water, falling around the plant, in use, to be diverted towards the base region of the plant.

Preferably, the method further comprises the step of placing a membrane-covering material on the membrane. If the user wishes to use the method or device without it being apparent, then the membrane-covering material could be soil, or any other commonly-used mulch, such as chipped bark.

The addition of a membrane-covering material has at least two beneficial functions: it weights down the membrane to prevent it from being dislodged by wind or animals, and it protects the membrane from unwanted degradation by the sun's UV rays. When soil is used as the membrane-covering material, the whole assembly is invisible to the eye, and yet the membrane forms as additional function: As the thin layer of membrane-covering soil is not touching the underlying soil, it has a tendency to dry out, with the consequence that the growth any unwanted weeds growing in the membrane-covering soil will be suppressed.

However, in particularly preferred embodiments, the membrane covering material is chosen to be substantially, or completely non-absorbent, such as gravel, chipped glass, or slate. In this way, all the water falling within the region of the membrane is funnelled down towards the plant, rather then being absorbed and held in the membrane-covering material, from where it can evaporate without benefiting the plant.

In a further independent aspect, the invention provides a device intended or adapted to perform a method according to any of the preceding aspects comprising a substantially water-impervious membrane having one or more intended lines or areas of weakening -for example a slit -from a middle region to an edge thereof.

Preferably, in such a device, there are at least two lines, and the device is provided with cooperative fixing means, located on or adjacent a line or lines, to enable the barrier to be secured in a substantially conical or frusto-conical configuration. More preferably, respective ones of said lines are not necessarily adjacent. In especially advantageous embodiments, said fixing means comprise sealing means to resist the passage of water when so secured.

In any such device, it is also particularly preferred that the device further comprises an aperture located within the middle region of the membrane, and preferably where said aperture is in communication with any one of said intended lines of weakening.

In any such device, it is also particularly preferred that the membrane is coated or impregnated with a plant growth-promoting composition such as a fertiliser.

Also in any such device, it is also particularly preferred that the membrane is coated or impregnated with a pesticidal composition, such as a slug killer or repellent, or carrot root fly repellent. In particularly preferred embodiments, the device would have both plant growth promoting composition and a pesticidal composition.

hi a yet further independent aspect, the invention provides a barrier adapted to produce a device as described above, the barrier being marked with cutting lines defining an aperture located within a middle region of the membrane.

Preferably, the barrier is marked with cutting lines defining a plurality of apertures of different sizes located within a middle region of the membrane.

The invention also provides a barrier adapted to produce a device described herein comprising a substantially water-impervious membrane, marked with fold lines extending from a middle region to an edge, said fold lines defining an angular sector of said barrier.

In any aspect of the invention, the membrane is preferably biodegradable.

Brief Descrption of the Drawings The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are illustrations of the method arid apparatus in use; Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of apparatus adapted to carry out the method; Figure 5 illustrates various embodiments of devices or barriers adapted to produce a device in order to perform the method of irrigation; Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention having fluted folds; Figure 7 illustrates an embodiment of the invention where a number of devices or barriers are provided in varying form; Figure 8 illustrates yet a further embodiment of the invention where the substantially water-impervious membrane is in the form of a channel.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Figure 1 is an illustration of the method of the present invention in use. This is illustrated by means of a cross section through the soil whose upper surface is illustrated by I, and the plant 2. The soil has been angled to create a slope 3 leading down, in use, towards the base region 4 of the plant 2. A substantially water-impervious membrane 5 has been placed on the slope 3 to cause water falling around the plant (and onto the membrane), in use to be diverted towards the base region 4 of the plant 2. It is especially preferred and envisaged, that the membrane 5 will terminate substantially above the root ball 6 of the w plant 2. In this way, any excess water so delivered will be unable to collect a pool surrounding the root ball 6 and thus causing over saturation of the roots.

Figure 2 illustrates a particularly preferred embodiment of the method in which a membrane -covering material 7 has been placed on the membrane 5. This has the particular advantage of holding the membrane 5 in place on the slope 3 of the surrounding soil. In both Figure 1 and Figure 2, the membrane-covering covering material 7, the membrane itself 5, and the slope 3 of the soil are illustrated in a spaced-apart relationship merely for clarity. In practice, of course, the two or three elements will lie adjacent each other.

Figure 2 also illustrates the irrigation "magnifying power" of the system. Rain falling on the area A defined by the membrane 5 will all essentially be channelled into the area B defined by an aperture 8 in the membrane 5. Thus, the ratio of the areas A and B gives the "magnifying power" of the irrigation system. For example, if area A were 10 times that of area B, then 10 times as much rain would be funnelled through the aperture 8 than Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a cross-section of the invention in use. In some circumstances the slope 3 created in the soil level I might have the form of an elongate valley in which a row of plants 2 are to be cultivated. In this case, the membrane 5 could readily be composed of two elongate strips of substantially water-impervious material laid along each side of the valley. In other circumstances, for example where a single plant is to be grown, the slope 3 would be in the form of a dished region surrounding the plant 2.

In it envisaged that the substantially water-impervious membrane 5 would be made of a synthetic plastics material. Other substantially water-impervious materials could also be used, such as paper, treated with wax, or other material to make it more impervious to water. It is partially preferred that the material is also substantially opaque to light, especially at those wavelengths required for photosynthesis as, in the arrangement shown in figure 1, this feature would prevent the growth of any weeds on the slope 3 surrounding the plant 2. Also, in partially preferred embodiments, the membrane 5 would be made of a biodegradable material. Such materials are known in themselves and widely available.

The advantage of a biodegradable material is that the system can be put in use to provide extra water to a young growing plant in its early stages of development after which the membrane would gradually decompose thus eliminating the need to remove it as the plant root system established and reached maturity.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a device suitable for carrying out the method of irrigation. This device is in the form of a frusto cone with an aperture in the base, in use.

The angle between the sloping sides of the frusto cone and a notional, in use, horizontal line 9 representing an approximate soil orientation is denoted by x. The inventor has found that it is partially important that this angle x is chosen to balance the requirement for a water-diverting slope and, to ensure that for a given "magnifying power", i.e. the ratios of the two areas A and B, that the membrane 5 does not descend into the soil to such an extent as to interfere with the root ball 6 of a growing plant 5. In Figure 3, the angle x is illustrated, for clarity, being much larger than would in practice, be the case.

The inventor has found that a slope of between about 1 in 12 and I in 15 is partially advantageous. For a I in 12 slope an angle x of around 4.75 degrees would be required, and for a I in 16 slope an angle x of approximately 3.6 degrees would be required.

For purpose of illustration, we may consider the case where the membrane 5 is in the form of a circle with a diameter of 24cm and a central aperture 8 of diameter 2cm. In this case, the ratio of the two areas A and B would be 144. Thus, 144 times the rainfall would pass through the area defined by the aperture 8 and would otherwise be the case in the absence of the device. In this case, a slope of I in 12 would position the aperture at 2cm below the notional soil level. This gives and adequate space between the notional soil level and the top of the plant's root baIl 6 to site the membrane 5 without damage to the root ball 6.

For situations where a larger "magnifying affect" is required or a larger overall area of membrane 5 is required then the slope may readily be reduced to around 1 in 16 to provide adequate irrigation, without damage to the plant roots.

Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment device comprising a membrane 5 in the form of a truncated pyramid. This form has the particular advantage that successive adjacent units may abut along the edge line of the device without leaving gaps in between the devices.

These two embodiments of the devices (illustrated in Figures 3 and 4) may be made by pressing or deforming a sheet of substantially water-impervious material, such as plastics or impregnated cloth or fibre composite to the shape of a frusto cone or truncated pyramid. In other partially advantageous embodiments, the device can be made from an initially flat starting material as will be described herein.

Figure 5 illustrates a number of embodiments of a device adapted to perform the method of the invention. The device generally indicated by 10 comprises a substantially water-impervious membrane 5 with one or more intended lines or areas of weakening from a middle region 11 to an edge 12 of the membrane 5. Figure 5 (a) illustrates a plan view of a device 10 comprising a circular membrane 5 having a slit 13 from a middle region 11 to an edge 12 of the membrane 5. In other embodiments, the slit 13 could comprise a printed or embossed line from a middle region 11 to an edge 12, allowing a user, as part of the method, to form the slit by cutting the intended line of weakening. It could also, in some embodiments comprise a series of perforations.

Figure 5 (b) illustrates an alternative embodiment further comprising an aperture 8 either provided within the membrane 5, or having intended lines or areas of weakening, for example a slit or perforations, or marked or embossed with lines defining an appropriately sized aperture 8.

Figure 5 (c) illustrates a further embodiment of the device having a plurality of such intended lines of weakening extending from a middle region 11 to an edge region 12. The lines are arranged in a generally spaced-apart relationship to each other, defining sectors that can be removed or overlapped by a user, in use, in order to define an appropriate angle x (see figure 3) to give an appropriate slope. In this way, a single device of this configuration can be readily adapted by a user to different requirements for slope, and irrigation magnifying effect.

Figure 5 (d) illustrates yet a further embodiment of the invention where there is a plurality of lines 13 provided between a middle region 11 of the membrane 5 and an edge region 12. Respective sides of said lines 13 are provided with cooperative fixing means 14 located on adjacent lines to enable the barrier to be secured in a substantially conical or frusto-conical configuration. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 (d) said cooperative fixing means comprises a portion of self-adhesive tape 14 located adjacent lines 13, and the corresponding adjacent surface portion of the portion of the membrane itself. In this way lines 13 maybe slit (in the event that they are not provided as slits initially), the membrane manipulated in the form of a cone and secured in the configuration by use of the fixing means 14.

Figure 5 (e) illustrates a further embodiment of the device 10, wherein a plurality of lines or areas of weakening 15 is provided, defining an area located toward the middle of the membrane 5 that may be cut, or otherwise separated to form an aperture 8 located at the middle region 11. The provision of a plurality of such lines or areas of weakening enables the device to be adapted to produce a variety of irrigation-magnifying properties by suitable choice of the area of the intended aperture 8.

Figure 5 (f) shows yet another embodiment of the invention in which the device 10 comprises a membrane 5 with a removed sector 16 sized and shaped so as to produce a cone, or frusto cone of an appropriate angular slope. Again, in Figure 5 (f) the angle of the sector 16 is illustrated as somewhat larger than would be required in practice for the purpose of clarity. On either side of the sector 16 is provided a number of cooperative fixing means 14, in this case in the form of respective pairs of press st.ids.

In any such embodiments where cooperative fixing means is provided it is particularly preferred that the fixing means comprises sealing means to resist passage of water when it is so secured. In this way, it can be ensured that all of the rain falling on the area of the membrane 5 is diverted towards the aperture 8 in the middle region 11 of the membrane 5.

Figure 6 illustrates a further embodiment of a device according to the present invention.

In this embodiment the generally frusto-conical device 10 is formed from an initially flat membrane 5 that has been manipulated into a conical form by the introduction of one or more creases 17 in the plane of the membrane 5.

Figure 7 illustrates yet a further embodiment of the invention in which a plurality of devices 10 is provided in roll or strip form, with each device 10 being separated from its neighbour at a line of perforations 18, or other equivalent line of weakening. In this configuration, the plurality of devices 10 maybe rolled up for convenient use and located in a box or like for convenient transport to, and dispensing at, the site of planting.

Figure 8 illustrates a yet further embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the membrane 5 is formed into the shape of a channel as illustrated in Figure 8 (a). The channel is defined by having a base region 20, side regions 19, and an end region 21. The top (in use) side of the channel is open to allow the passage of falling water (as illustrated by the arrows) into the channel where it is directed by the based 20 and sides 19 of the channel towards a plant-growing region 22 of the channel.

Figure 8 (b) illustrates the device, in use, in cross section. It can be seen that that the surrounding or adjacent a plant 2 to be irrigated has been shaped to create a slope 3 leading down to the base region of the plant 2. As water falls in this surrounding region, (again as illustrated by the arrows) it is diverted by the base 20 of the channel formed by membrane 5 down towards the growing plant. In this embodiment, there maybe be provided a further barrier 23 located towards one end of the channel and sitting adjacent the plant 2 in use.

Figure 8 (c) illustrates in plan view an end region of the device, surrounding the plant growing region 22 and shows a method of forming the end wall of the channel by folding the flap regions 24, being extensions of the side portions 19, around the base of the plant 2 to be cultivated.

Figure 9 illustrates a yet further embodiment of the invention in which there is provided an indicated line of weakening (such as a slit) 25 located between an edge region 12 and the central aperture region 8 of the device 5. Figure 9(a) shows this arrangement in plan view. In particularly preferred embodiments (as illustrated), the slit is so shaped as to present a convex profile towards the middle region of the device5. In this way, a plant (such as a young tree or shrub) may be secured, in use, by a stake 26, passing through the slit 25 made in, or provided as part of the device 5, as illustrated in Figure 9(b). When the stake 26, in use, is pushed through the slit 25, a flap 27 is raised up from the region adjacent the slit 25, and closest to the edge region 12. The particular advantage of shaping the slit to present a convex profile towards the middle region of the device 5 is that water falling on the membrane will be diverted by the flap 27 around the stake, and down towards the base region of the plant 2, as illustrated by the arrows in Figure 9(c).

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A method of irrigating a plant comprising the steps of: angling soil surrounding, or intended to support the plant to be irrigated, so as to create a slope leading down towards the base region of the plant; and placing a substantially water-impervious membrane on the slope, thereby causing water, falling around the plant, in use, to be diverted towards the base region of the plant.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of placing a membrane-covering material on the membrane.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the material is substantially non-absorbent.

4. A device intended or adapted to perform a method according to any preceding claim comprising a substantially water-impervious membrane having one or more intended lines or areas of weakening -for example a slit -from a middle region to an edge thereof.

5. A device according to claim 5 wherein there are at least two lines, and the device is provided with cooperative fixing means, located on or adjacent a line or lines, to enable the barrier to be secured in a substantially conical or frusto-conical configuration.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein respective ones of said lines are not necessarily adjacent.

7. The device according to either of claims 5 or 6 wherein said fixing means comprise sealing means to resist the passage of water when so secured.

8. A device according to any of claims 4-7 further comprising an aperture located within the middle region of the membrane.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said aperture is in communication with any one of said intended lines of weakening.

10. A device according to any of claims 4-9 wherein the membrane is coated or impregnated with a plant growth-promoting composition.

11. A device according to any of claims 4-10 wherein the membrane is coated or impregnated with a pesticidal composition.

12. A barrier adapted to produce a device according to any of claims 4-11 further marked with cutting lines defining an aperture located within a middle region of the membrane.

13. A barrier according to claim 12 marked with cutting lines defining a plurality of apertures of different sizes located within a middle region of the membrane.

14. A barrier adapted to produce a device according to any of claims 4-il comprising a substantially water-impervious membrane, marked with fold lines extending from a middle region to an edge, said fold lines defining an angular sector of said barrier.

15. A device or barrier according to any of claims 4 to 14 wherein the membrane is biodegradable.