METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATED PRE-CULTIVATION AND ULTIMATE CULTIVATION OF PLANTS

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for a complete, integrated cultivation of plants both in a plant nursery and/or in a pre-cultivation plant and also in an intermediate cultivation phase and at the consumer's place, whereby the plant is cultivated in a simple and cheap cultivation container/pot (1), especially of disposable type and filled with earth or a cultivation substrate and with the cultivation container standing with the bottom of the earth mass fully or partly in surface contact with a capillary moisture bed of a means emiting water and nutrient (fertilizer), and in which the plant (20), after having been cultivated for some time, and still in the same cultivation container (1) and without having subjected the roots or the foliage thereof, is moved and is put down on top of another capillary moisture bed and is cultivated or ultimately cultivated standing on top of said moisture bed. During the cultivation phases the plant can be subjected to various cultivation conditions without the need of being re-planted and without any actuation the roots or the foliage of the plant. When a plant is to be exchanged at the consumer's place (D) the entire cultivation container with the plant is removed from the moisture bed and is substituted by unit comprising a new cultivation container (1, 1') including a new plant which is just placed on top of the same moisture bed.

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATED PRE-CULTIVATION AND ULTIMATE CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. The present invention generally related to a method and an apparatus for cultivation of plants, and the invention is more particularly directed to a system for "integrated cultivation of plants", by which expression is meant a cultivation system comprising a long-time irrigation apparatus, in which - seeds are allowed to germinate and to propagate to tender plants standing on a moisture bed, - the plant thereby formed, as set in a larger, second simple disposable container, named replantation container, is pre-cultivated or cultivated at the plant purveyor's place, likewise standing on a moisture bed, - whereupon the plant, still in the same container, and without any type of replanting, is moved to the consumer's place for ultimate growth of the plant, whereby the plant, still in its replantation container, is placed standing directly on top of a means for supplying water and nutrients (fertilizer) to the plant, - and whereby the plant, in advance thereof, may eventually be exposed on an available cultivation bed or an irrigation apparatus in a plant storing house or at a plant dealer's place. A cultivation system, in which the plant is pre-cultivated in a container filled with earth or any type of cultivation substrate is known from the Swedish patent having the laid out publication number 421.854, and whereby the container has a water sucking foot which is immersed in a water reservoir which is in common for many plant containers, and whereby the plant is irrigated by use of the capillary forces simulating the irrigation in the nature. The plant which has been pre-cultivated accordingly can later, together with is replantation container, be moved outdoors or indoors for ultimate cultivation of the plant, for instance in a cultivation apparatus of the type which is known from the present inventor's own Swedish patent No 455.751 , equivalent to the US patent Nr 5,050,343. The cultivation containers of said known systems are not intended for, and also not useful for seed germination/propagation, since the feet which are filled with earth (and water) generally give a too high water content for having the seed germinate and to propagate in a suitable way. It even may happen that the seeds become rotten in the environement created in the known cultivation containers. Further, said known cultivation containers are not suited for mounting of individual irrigation containers, for instance such containers which are known from the US patent No 4,156,324 in the name of the present inventor himself, and in most cases the plants have to be re-planted and this may damage the tiny hair-roots of the plant. The re-planting normally also causes changes in the growth culture of the plants, often even shock-like changes of the growth culture, and this may cause dagages of the plants or may harzard the cultivation possibilities for the plant. In fact, for making both the seed and the young plant germinate or grow respectively as good as possible the seed or the young plant must get a correct humidity, a correct temperature, a correct amount of light, a correct amount of an adquate fertilizer and nutrient. It must be oxygenized, eventually existing excess of water must be drained etc. All said circumstances, which vary for each individual type of plant and also at different cultivation stages for one and the same plant must be fulfilled in a well operating, integrated cultivation system as intended to be provided by the present invention. When having plants grow in public places, or otherwise where it may be desired to exchange "old" plants by "new" plants or "other" plants at certain invervals it has so far generally been necessary to remove the "old" plant from the cultivation container, sometimes even to substitute the old earth or cultivation substrate by new earth or cultivation substrate, and often also the exchange the water, and thereafter to fill new earth both in the water-sucking foot and in the actual cultivation (irrigation) container, further to fill new water, and finally to set the "new" plant in the cultivation container. Apart from the fact that the "new" plant is thereby subjected to a severe cultivation shock, the above mentioned handling is relatively time consuming and expensive. In the known apparatus it is also a necessary to make use of waterproof cultivation containers and irrigation containers. It is normally not possible to place such a cultivation and irrigation container together with the plant in an additional outer container which is not waterproof. Other types of cultivation systems are formed so that the seed is allowed to germinate and to be pre-cultivated or cultivated in a bed which is filled with earth or another cultivation substrate and which is in common for a great many plants. This classical method is disadvantageous in that the cultivation of any and all plants is made in a common mass of earth or in a common water tank, and this means that a disease appearing in only one of sai all plants may quickl spreads to all plants in one and the same cultivation bed or one and the same water container. Most of the known pre-cultivation containers also are formed so that there is no possibility of draining eventually existing excess or water in the pre-cultivation container or water container or in the water-sucking foot, and also so that there is no possibility for oxygen which needed for the root system of the plant and which is supplied by means of a flow of air towards the root system, to penetrate upwards or downwards as far as to the root system of the plant. Therefore, the object of the invention has been to solve the problem of providing a complete, integrated cultivation system, in which a plant can be propagated from seed to a ready plant in an optimum way, and in which integrated cultivation system - it is possible to seed propagate, pre-cultivate/cultivate and pre-grow a plant under optimum conditions with a specially calculated and controlled supply of fertilizers (nutrients), water, oxygen, light and heat, - the plant can be pre-cultivated and ultimate cultivated as existing in one and the same container, in particular a simple and cheap disposable container without the need of re-planting the plant since the container is placed loosly standing on top of a water/nutrient bed, - in which both the seed propagation and the pre-cultivation and the main cultivation is made without the risque that a diseased plant infects other plants in any part of the cultivation system, - in which the pre-cultivated plant, without any re-planting thereof, can be directly moved to a storing place for being kept in stock or for being intermediate-cultivated, or can be moved directly to a retailer's place and/or finally to an available place of ultimately culturing or growth of the plant, - in which the plant, already during the seed propagation, the cultivation and the pre-growth thereof, is allowed to acclimatize itselt and to make itself accustomed both to its ultimate cultivation and growth environement and to the capillary irrigation system, - in which is it possible to continuously control the cultivation circumstances during the entire cultivation/pre-growth and ultimate growth of the plant, - in which the plant is present in the same cultivation environement during the entire cultivation, pre-growth and ultimate growth phases of the plant, whereby any risques of culturing shocks for the plants are eliminated, - in which an "old" plant can quickly and very easily be removed from the ultimate culturing/growth place and can be substituted by a "new" plant without the need of substituting the earth or cultivation substrate or the water thereof, - in which the ultimate cultivation means or place is formed so that any existing excess of water is being drained, and so that the roots of the plant are aerated and oxygenized, - in which the ultimate cultivation means is so simple and can be made so small that it can be placed in practically any outer container, which outer container does not even need to be waterproof, - in which the disposable container or pot used for the cultivation or for the pre-growth of the plant can be used for any types of ultimate cultivation apparatus having means for capillary irrigation of the plant from underneath the cultivaton pot, - in which the plant can both be cultivated/pre-cultivated and can be ultimately cultivated/frown above the ground by so called "free-supported" cultivation, whereby is meant a culturing apparatus, in which the irrigation system can be mounted practically anywhere, - and by which integrated cultivation system it is possible to establish a very rational handling of the entire cultivation cycle both for flowers and for vegetables and any other possible plants. The main characteristics of the invention is to provide, in a complete, integrated cultivation system, and under optimum conditions at each special occation, a seed propagation, and a pre-cultivation, cultivation, intermediate growth and ultimate growth of a plant while loosely standing in surface contact with the top of a capillary bed, whereby is meant a bed of any material which by a capillary suction action gives off liquid and fertilizer upwards to the earth/cultivation substrate in the cultivation container in a nature simulating way at the same time as the capillary bed allows a draining of excess of water in the cultivation container, and also an aeration and oxygenizing of the roots of the plants in the cultivation container. The cultivation system is also formed so that the plant can be at least pre-cultivated and ultimate-cultivated without any re-planting of the plant, which re-planting is ordinarily necessary and which may damage the plant and in particular the roots thereof, and in which one and the same cultivation container or pot of disposable type is used both for cultivation, pre-growth and intermediate growth, storing and ultimate-growth of the plant. This is done in that the plant which has been germinated from a seed, pre-cultivated or pre-grown is placed, still in its original cultivation substrate, standing on an irrigation apparatus which is a unit that is completely separate from the cultivation container and can be released threfrom, and which issues moisture, fertilizer and oxygene to the plant in the cultivation container by a direct surface contact between a capillary bed, which issues water and fertilizer, and the bottom of the cultivation substrate in the cultivation container. The irrigation apparatus comprises a water and fertilizer containing receptacle on which there is a releasable lid or a perforated or slotted intermediate disc, and on a level above said intermediate disc a capillary bed which can be one or more feet filled with a water sucking substrate. Each such foot has a perforated bottom which is immersed in the water container. Above the water sucking feet there may eventually be an additional, greater capillary bed. The lid or the intermediate disc also has several slots or bores the object of which both is to drain excess water from the cultivation pot and to oxygenize and ventilate the roots of the plants. Further characteristics of the invention and and advantages therewith will be evident from the following detailed specification in which reference will be made to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings figure 1 is an exploded view of a seed propagation apparatus, and figure 2 shows, partially and in an enlarged scale, the same apparatus in its assembled condition. Figure 3 shows a pre-cultivation pot included in the system according to the invention filled with earth and having a plant therein. Figure 4 is an exploded view in a vertical cross section of a stationary cultivation apparatus comprising a water container, an irrigation foot filled with earth, a draining and aerating disc and a water supply and aerating tube. Figure 5 is an exploded view of all five parts included in the cultivation container according to figures 3 and 4, and figure 6 is an example of an apparatus for ultimate-growth of a plant in a cultivation pot which is mounted on an available, stationary ultimate-growth unit, and in which the complete apparatus is placed in an outer container. Figure 7 diagrammatically illustrates the handling of a plant from a stage in which seeds are propagated/germinated, and from a stage in which the cultivation or pre-growth of the plant starts until the plant is placed in its ultimate cultivation apparatus. Figure 8 is a plan view of an example of a pre-cultivation apparatus, and figure 9 correspondingly shows an example of an alternative pre-cultivation apparatus. Figures 10 and 11 show transversal and a longitudinal vertical cross section views, respectively, through a pre- cultivation unit of a continuous conveyor type. The complete, integrated cultivation system according to the invention comprises three different main parts and eventually an intermediate part, namely a) the seed propagation part, see figures 1 , 2 and 7A, b) the replantation part, se figures 3-4, 7B, 8 and 9 c) the ulitimate growth part, see figures 5, 6 and figure 7D, and d) eventually an exhibition and sale part, see figure 7C. All parts included in the different appartments of the apparatus comprises 1) a water container with 2) one or more feet filled with earth or any water sucking substrate, which foot/feet is/are, with the bottom part thereof, immersed in a water bath in the water container and which with its upper surface in in contact with 3) a water distribution means, 4) an intermediate disc in which the water sucking foot/feet is/are mounted, and which is formed with slots, perforated bores or similar means for providing an oxygenizing uppwards of the plant and a draining of possible excess of water, and 5) a simple and cheap disposable container for the plant. In figure 1 there is shown the seed propagation/germination part in the form of a seed propagation container 1, a perforated intermediate disc 2, two or more water sucking feet 3 which can be mounted in said intermediate disc and which are formed with a perforated bottom, and a water container 4 in which the water sucking feet are immersed. The seed propagation container 1 is in the form of a cultivation brim comprising a large number of cavities, for instance 16 x 16 = 256 cavities, which are filled with earth or any cultivation substrate, and in each cavity of which a seed is adapted to be sown by means of a sowing machine. Each cavity of the cultivation brim 1 has a partly open bottom for making it possible to suck up moisture to the earth of the cavities by a surface contact with a moisture supplying medium. In order to make a seed grow and form roots and foliage as good as possible it is important that the seed is not subjected to a too high moistness, and to this end there is a relatively thin bed of sand, rockwool or any type of fibre mat or a similar means on top of the water sucking feet, which bed covers the entire perforated intermediate disc 2. The purpose of the the bed of sand, rockwool or fibre, which can be called a "capillary bed", is to distribute, by capillary action, the moisture from the suction feet evenly over the entire cultivation brim having said great number of seed compartments, in this case it is quite sufficient to make use of only a few water sucking feet, and in the illustrated case there is shown only two water sucking feet 3. The cultivation brim 1 is standing with the bottom surface thereof directly on top of the capillary bed, and it gets a suitable amount of moisture by direct surface contact between the capillary bed and the earth in the cavities of the cultivation brim. As known, liquid of a suitable temperature and having a suitable amount of fertilizer is circuited through the water container 4 as indicated with the water circulation bore 4a. The cultivation or intermediate cultivation part shown in figures 3 and 4 comprises, like the seed propagation part, four different main parts, namely a cultivation container or cultivation pot 1 , an intermediate disc 2 arranged to drain and aerate the earth or the cultivation substrate of the cultivation pot 1 , a water sucking foot 3 which can be mounted in the intermediate disc 2, which forms the above mentioned capillary bed, a water container 4, and eventually a tube 5 for filling of water into the container 4 and for aerating/oxygenizing of the plant of the cultivation container or pot 1. The cultivation pot 1 can be of any simple and cheap type, for instance a pot of simple plastic material, of waxed cardboard, of thin tin etc. The pot is partly filled with earth 6 or any known type of cultivation substrate. At its bottom the cultivation pot is formed with a through bore 7 which to form and size mainly coincides with the upwardly projecting part of the water foot 3 so that the upper edge of the foot can project some distance above the bottom of the cultivation pot, and whereaby the earth or the cultivation substrate, the capillary bed, of the foot 3 comes into surface contact with the earth or the cultivation substrate in the cultivation pot. Thereby water and nutrients are transferred to the earth and the cultivation substrate 6 of the cultivation pot, and the part of the foot 33 projecting into the pot 1 also stabilizes the cultivation pot 1 so that it can not be displaced sideways on the intermediate disc 2. The bore 7 of the bottom of the cultivation pot may be centrally disposed, but it is also possible to provide the bore off centre. By such arrangement it is possible to use a cultivation pot which has less bottom surface than the intermediate disc 2, and the pot 1 can thereby be adjusted in one direction or the other on the intermediate disc 2. At the bottom of the cultivation pot 1 there are also several narrow slots or bores 8 adapted to allow a draining of excess water and for providing an aeration/oxygenizing in the direction upwards of the earth 6 in the cultivation pot T . The lower part of the pot also can have a flange 9 matching inside an upwardly projecting edge of the intermediate disc 2. The intermediate disc 2 acts as a sort of lid for the water container 4, and it is formed with a supporting intermediate plane 10 having a through bore 1 1 which to shape and size coincides with the upwardly projecting part of the water foot 3. The water foot 3 can be introduced in the disc bore 1 1 and is thereby kept at least rather steadily therein. The intermediate plane 10 also has several through narrow slots 12 or bores for draining excess water from the cultivation pot 1 into the water container 4 and for letting up air/oxygen to the plant roots of the cultivation pot 1. The intermediate disc also has an all around and upwardly extending rim 13 acting both as an overflow edge for excess water of the cultivation pot 1 and also as a means for stabilizing the pot 1 in that the flange 9 thereof snugly fits inside the rim 13. The intermediate disc 2 also may be formed with a downwardly projecting edge 14 which fits inside the water container 4 and by means of which the intermediate disc can be secured as a type of lid on top of the water container 4. The water foot 3 is formed, at the lower part thereof, as a downwardly converging foot part 15, and, at the upper part thereof, with a substantially cylindrical foot part 16 having an outer flange 17 forming a stop for the foot againt the bottom surface of the intermediate disc when the upper part 16 of the foot is introduced upwards in the bore 1 1 of the intermediate disc 2 arranged therefore. As known the bottom of the foot 3 is formed with several bores 18 for letting water into the foot. When in use the foot should be filled with earth 19 or any othe type of water sucking mass which has an adequate capillary action for sucking up a suitable amount of water and nutrients/fertilizers to the earth 6 and to the plant 20 in the cultivation pot 1. The water container 4 can be of any kind, and in the drawings it is illustrated as an open cylindrical container on top of which the intermediate disc 2 can be releasably secured. Preferably, but not necessarily, the apparatus is formed with a tube 5 extending through or outside the cultivation pot 1 and down through the intermediate disc 2 into the water container, as best shown in figure 6. The tube 5 can be used for filling of water 21 , eventually having some additive of fertilizer. Further, air enters the water container for aeration/oxygenizing of the earth 6 and the plant roots. The entire irrigation apparatus can be housed in an outer container 22, see figure 6. Since the irrigation apparatus, considered as a complete unit, is water proof the outer container can be of any material whether water sealing or non-water sealing. In figure 6 is shown an example of an outer contaienr in which the irrigation apparatus is put down so that only the decorative part of the plant 20 is visible above the upper edge of the outer container 22. The assembling of the irrigation apparatus is accomplished simply in that the water foot 3 is filled with a water suckung substrate 19 and is from underneath pressed into the bore 1 1 of the intermediate disc 2 which, in turn, is press connected onto the water container 4 by means of its bottom edge 14, or it is put down in the water container so that it is carried with its suction feet 3 standing on the bottom of the water container. The water/air tube 5 is put down through the intermediate disc bore 23 provided for this purpose. After water has been filled in the water container 4 the irrigation apparatus is ready to receive a cultivation pot together with its plant. In figure 7 is shown an example, not restricting for the invention, how cultivation of plants can take place. In station A seeds are sown, preferably by machine, in the cultivation substrate in each of the cavities of the cultivation brim 1 , and the seeds are allowed to germinate until some foliage appears above the earth. By use of only some few suction feet and a large capillary bed there is a sparing irrigation, especially during the the first germination phase. The supply of nutrients, oxygen, light and heat is supervised and controlled as good as possible during the germination phase. When the seed has germinated and has grown to a suitable size each plant embryo 20 is moved and is put down in a pre-cultivation container 1 ' in the re-plantation part B together with the earth or substrate mass in the cavity of the cultivation brim, and without any damaging influence on the plant foliage or the plant roots. After the seed has propagated/germinated in the seed propagation part A the entire earth mass together with the plant embryo is consequently put down in a cultivation container or pot 1 ' filled with earth or cultivation substrate, which container or pot 1 ' is of a simple and cheap disposable type. The said cultivation container or pot is placed on an irrigation bed, for instance a bed formed by a water foot 3 of the same type as the water foot shown in figures 4-6, which water foot can be sealingly mounted in an irrigation tube 24, see figure 7, in which irrigation tube 24 water arid eventually an additive of a fertilizer is circulated as indicated with the arrow in figure 7. The plant is thereby irrigated in a capillary way with water which is circulated through the irrigation tube 24 and which has a suitably controlled temperature and a suitable addition of fertilizer etc. The plant is allowed to acclimatize to such a capillary irrigation in the pre-cultivation part B, and it is allowed to grow for a certain period of time in the container 1 '. The plant together with its entire mass of earth or cultivation substrate may be re¬ planted several times. " When the plant is ready to be delivered it is moved, still in the same container or pot 1 ', to e.g. a retailer's place C, where the plant/earth mass is placed in an irrigation stand of substantially the same type as the irrigation tube 24 in part B. From the irrigation stand in part C the cultivation pot 1 ' with the plant 20 is finally moved to the ultimate cultivation place D. Alternatively it is possible to move the plant 20 in the same cultivation pot V from the pre-cultivation part B to the ultimate culivation place D, which place can be in homes, in public places, in garden plants outdoor or indoor, in a free-supported vegetable cultivation plant, in a market stall, in a foodstuff shop etc. Thus, upon delivery of a plant to the retailer, the shop, or eventually directly to the consumer the same cultivation container 1 and 1 ' together with the plant 20 cultivated therein is taken, without any type or re-potting and is placed standing on top of a moissture bed, for instance on top of a water foot 3, which with the upper part 16 thereof can extend a slight distance into the bore 7 of the cultivation pot. Upon a direct surface contact the moisture bed transmits water, nutrients (fertilizers) and also oxygen to the earth and to the plant in the pot 6. The water foot 3 also keeps the pot 1 ' steadily secured on the intermediate disc 2. The cultivation pot 1 ' may be standing some time both in the pre-cultivation part B and in the retailer's place or in the shop C, and it maintains under said circumstances exactly the ame cultivation conditions as during the pre-cultivaton thereof B, and therefore the plant is not subjected to any cultivation shocks whatsoever which might otherwise have impaired the growth capacity of the plant. Also when the cultivation pot with the plant is distributed to the consumer there is used the same original cultivation pot 1' with the plant continuously cultivated therein, and said pot with the plant is put down on the pre-mounted irrigation apparatus with the moisture bed of the water foot 3 in direct contact with the earth in the pot 1 ' and with the upper part 16 of the water foot 3 eventually projecting some distance into the bore 7 of the cultivation pot 1 '. When, after some time, it is desired to exchange the "old" plant by a new one the cultivation pot 1 ' together with the plant living therein is quite simply removed and it is substituted by a "new" cultivation pot with a "new" plant. Illnesses on the foliage of the plant can never get down into the water 21 of the water container 4. Since the capillary movement in the earth or the cultivation substrate can only go in the directon upwards there is also no possibility for illnesses to be transmitted downwards through the earth to the water of the water tank, and therefore there is also no risque that any possible illness be transmitted to other plants via the water, not even if several plants are placed aside of each other in one and the same water container or tank. As a consequence there is normally no need for exchange of water 21 or of earth 19 in the foot 3. It is usually quite sufficient to fill water and eventually fertilizer on chosen occasions. In many cases it is desirous or even necessary to change, by time, the growth conditions for the plants during the pre-cultivation. In particular it has shown advicable to change the water temperature, the air temperature, the degree or humidity, and the light conditions at certain intervals. It may for instance be advicable that a plant be allowed to rest under certain periods of the pre-cultivation phase, and it may thereby be preferred to reduce the light and the water and air temperatures; in other cases the plant can be forced slightly harder, and thereby the light, and the water and air temperatures and the degree of moisture can be increased again. For making such variations of the cultivation conditions possible the pre-cultivation can follow along a conveyor system 26 as shown in the form of diagrammatical examples in figures 8 and 9. In figure 8 the plant container are brought to follow a conveyor 26 between various stations which are delimited by partition walls and in which the cultivation conditions can be varied as desired. Figure 9 shows a pre-cultivation apparatus of conveyor type, in which the varions stations are arranged adjacent a side wall of a greenhouse or a similar premise, and in which the conveyor 26 extends past stations having various cultivation conditions. A way of fulfilling the conveyor principle is shown in figures 10 and 1 1. In said figures there are shown several elongated water containers 25 provided on line with each other, each water container 25 having several cultivation pots 1 " with plants therein and provided side by side Each water container is hanging in an overhead conveyor 28 which is parallelly displaced along a path 26, for instance as illustrated in figures 8 and 9. Various parts of the path can present various cultivation conditions, which can be varied as desired depending on the type of plant to be cultivated, whether there is question of ornamental plants, flowers, bushes, pine plants, trees, vegetables etc. There are many alternatives, and it is very simple, upon need, to only remove a cultivaton pot together with its plant and to mount same on another water container and/or to substitute same by a new plant, which has not yet been pre-cultivated. Rather than using an overhead conveyor it is, of course, possible to use a horizontal belt conveyor, a chain conveyor, any type of elevator apparatus or a similar apparatus.

Claims: C L A I S 1. Method for integrated cultivation of plants both in a pre-cultivation stage (A) and in an intermediate cultivation stage (B, C) and in an ultimate cultivation stage (D), e.g. at the consumer's place, characerized in that the plant (20) is initially cultivated and/or is pre-cultivated and is main-cultivated in a plant nursery or in a pre-cultivation plant (A, B) using a simple and cheap container or pot (1 ), especially a disposable container having a bottom which is at least partly open, which container is filled with earth or any cultivation substrate, and which cultivation container (1) is placed standing with the bottom thereof in surface contact with a moisture emitting bed (3), whereupon the plant (20) - in the same container (1) - is eventuelly moved and is placed on another available irrigation bed, for instance in a store or at the place of a retailer (C), or the plant (20) - still in the same container (1 ) and without any replantation of the plant or any other actuation on the roots or foliage thereof - is moved and is placed on top of a still further, available moisture bed (3') in the ultimate cultivation phase (D), for instande at the consumer's place, whereby the cultivaton container (1 ) is placed standing in surface contact with a means (3) supplying water and plant nutrients like a bed of a capillary sucking material or a water sucking foot (3) which is filled with earth, sant, rockwool, any fibrous material or any other water sucking material (19), which water sucking foot (3) with the upper surface thereof is brought in contact with the earth (6) of the cultivation container or pot (1 ). 2. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plant (20) is allowed to grow at the consumer's place until it is actual to exchange the plant by a new one, whereby the original cultivation container or pot (1 ) together with the original plant (20) is simply removed from the water supplying moisture bed (3) and is quickly and simply replaced by another pot (1 , 1 ') with a plant pre-cultivated therein (20), exactly like a previously cultivated plant (20) in a cultivaton pot (1) of disposable type. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cultivation pot (1 ) with the plant (20) is allowed to grow at the plant producer's place (A, B) and eventually also in an intermediate cultivation phase and at the retailer's place (C) with the cultivation pot (1 ) with the plant (20) standing on top of a water bed belonging to a water sucking foot (3) which is, in turn, mounted in an irrigation tube (24), and in that the cultivation pot (1 ) with the plant (20) is also at the consumer's place allowed to grow standing on top of a capillary moisture bed (3) of the same type as that at the plant producer's place (A, B) and/or at the retailer's place (C). (Figure 7) 4. Method according to claim 1 , 2 or 3, characterized in that the cultivation is preceded by a seed propagation (A), whereby a seed is set in each one of a large number of seed containers (1 ) in a propagation brim, and in that the seed propagation brim is placed standing on top of a moisture bed (2) of sand, rockwool, a fibrous material or a similar material having a capillary sucking property, which bed is moistened only sparingly by one, or a few, water sucking feet (3) extending from a water container (4) to the the bottom surface of the capillary moisture bed, and whereby the seed is allowed to germinate and to grow softly subjected to a sparing and cautiously incresed moistening. (Figure 1 , 2) 5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plant is pre-cultivated (B) in a conveyor system arranged and formed so that the cultivation conditions, for instance thetemperature, the air humidity and the light are controlled/changed at chosen intervals for providing an optimum growth of the plant and for making the plant acoustomed to the forthcoming ultimate cultivation conditions. (Figures 8-1 1 ) 6. Apparatus for executing the method according to any of claims 1-5 for obtaining a complete, integrated cultivation of plants both in a plant nursery or in a pre-cultivation phase (A, B) and/or in an intermediate cultivation phase (C) and also at the consumer's place (D), characterized in that the apparatus comprises - a simple and cheap cultivation pot (1 , 1 ') especially of disposable type and filled with earth or a cultivation substrate (6) and in which cultivation pot (1 , 1 ') the plant (20) is both pre-cultivated and/or intermediate cultivated (A, B, C) and is ultimately cultivated (D) at the consumer's place, whereby the plant is moved from cultivation phase to cultivation phase without being replanted, - a through bore (7) at the bottom of the cultivatoin pot (1 , 1 '), - an irrigation apparatus having a capillary operating moisture bed and comprising a water container (24; 4) having one or more irrigation feet (3) which is/are filled with a water sucking medium (19) and which with the lower part (18) thereof are immersed in the water, and which with the upper part (16) thereof forms a water and nutrient emitting moisture bed on top of which the cultivation pot (1 , 1 ') can be placed for direct surface contact between the earth of the cultivation substrate (6) in the cultivation pot (1 , 1 ') and the water/nutrient supplying surface. 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the water supplying irrigation apparatus comprises an intermediate disc (2) or a lid arranged above the water surface of the water container (4), and one or more water suction feet (3), which are filled with a water sucking substrate (19), and which carry the intermediate disc (2) or are mounted in said intermediate disc (2), so that the water foot (3) with the lower part (15) thereof is at least partly immersed in the water (21) and with the upper part thereof (16) extends some distance above the intermediate disk and forms, or co-operates with, the water and nutrient emitting moinsture bed. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that both the bottom of the cultivation pot (V) and the intermediate disc (2) are formed with a central through bore (7, 11 ) matching the upwardly projecting part (16) of the water foot (3), whereby said upwardly projection foot part (16) extends through said bores (7, 11 ) thereby stabilizing the cultivation pot (1 * ) on the intermediate disc (2). 9. Apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the intermediate disc (2) has a central support plane (10) with a through bore (11 ) in which the water sucking foot (3) can be introduced, whereby the upper part (16) thereof extends some distance above the disc support plane 110), and in which said support plane (10) is formed with several narrow slots or bores (12) for allowing excess of water from the cultivation pot (1 ) to be drained into the water container (4) and for letting air/oxygen up from the water container (4) to the earth (6) of the cultivation pot (1 ), and in that the intermediate disc has an upwardly projecting, all around same extending overflow edge (13) for excess water from the cultivation pot (1 ) and preferably also a downwardly extending bottom edge (14) for mounting of the intermediate disc (2) on the water container (4). 10. Apparatus according to any of claims 6-9, characterized in that the bottom of the cultivation pot (2) has several narrow slots or bores (8) for draining of eventual excess water from the earth (6) of the cultivation pot (1) and for supplying air/oxygen to the earth (6) of the cultivation pot (1). 11. Apparatus according to any of claims 6-10, characterized in that the surface arranged to emit water and nutrient (fertilizer) can be a bed (A) of a capillary sucking material like sand, rockwool, a fibre mat or a similar material to which the water sucking foot (3) transmits moisture, and on which capillary bed (A) a cultivation brim comprising a large number of cultivation containers for seed propagation are standing with their bottom surfaces in direct surface contact with the capillary bed, so that only a slight amount of moisture is transmitted to the seed of the seed propagation container (1). 12. Apparatus according to any of claims 6-1 1 , characterized in that at least the pre-cultivation plant and the intermediate cultivation plant of the apparatus are of conveyor belt type and are arranged so that containers (1 , 1 ') having plants therein are, during the conveying thereof by the conveyor belt (26) are subjected to different growth conditions with various temperature, air humidity and light, etc.

Inventors: HENTTONEN MARTTI, HENTTONEN, MARTTI
Applicants: HENTTONEN MARTTI, MONA PLANT SYSTEM MPS SCANDINA, MONA PLANT SYSTEM MPS SCANDINAVIA AB
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A01G27
IPC codes: A01G27