Abstract:
An artificial plant designed to be placed adjacent to landscaping plants. The artificial plant partially shades the landscaping plants, forcing them to compete for light. The artificial plant is adjustable in height and may comprise a watering and feeding device and light filtering shades to only allow specific spectra of light to contact the landscaping plant being shaded.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a device and method to stimulate plant growth. In particular, the present invention is directed towards an aesthetically pleasing artificial plant which stimulates and directs the growth of nearby plants by forcing them to compete for existing light.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The survival rate of a transplanted tree or shrub generally decreases as the size of the transplanted tree or shrub increases. This is because the larger a tree or shrub the more likely it is to suffer root damage during transplantation. Accordingly, landscapers typically use relatively small trees, and new landscaping schemes which encompass trees and shrubs typically take several years to mature and become aesthetically pleasing.  
         [0003]     It has been well documented that the amount and type of available light affects the rate and direction of plant growth. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,941 to Deichman teaches that providing a solar corridor between crop rows improves crop yields by enabling continued and greater contribution to the photosynthetic activity of lower plant structures. While the Deichman model works well for agricultural crops where maximum fruit or seed production per planted acre can be accomplished by increasing light availability to the entire plant, the model does not work well for certain aesthetic outdoor plant applications. In aesthetic landscaping applications it is more desirable to force a plant to grow in a particular direction by completely shading sections of the plant where growth is not desired, while providing light to sections of the plant where growth is desired. In many instances the light provided should be scattered in a pattern which replicates light rays shining through leaves of a plant canopy. This method forces the plants beneath the canopy to compete for the light provided, and rapidly grow in the desired direction.  
         [0004]     While light is critical for plant growth, it has been demonstrated that too much light, and certain light spectra can be harmful to plants. Many prior art devices have thus been directed toward protecting young outdoor plants from damaging solar radiation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,155 to Rodgers teaches a seedling support which utilizes a tube of photodegradable polyolefin or similar type material with a stake attached thereto to hold the tube upright. The polyolefin is chosen such that it has a particular shade factor so that, when it is positioned about a seedling, a predetermined percentage of damaging solar radiation is prohibited from reaching the seedling. U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,181 to Longstaff teaches a light filter which blocks green, yellow and infa-red light, while permitting photosynthesis to occur with blue light. However, none of these prior art devices teach a method of directing plant growth. Furthermore, light filter shades such as that described in the Rodgers&#39; patent are not aesthetically pleasing and are therefore not desirable for landscaping applications.  
         [0005]     Another problem associated with transplantation of trees and large shrubs is water and nutrient availability. Because the root structure of a tree or large shrub is likely to be damaged during transplantation, increased amounts of water and nutrients need to be supplied in order to support above ground structures. This phenomenon renders newly transplanted trees and shrubs particularly susceptible to desiccation. A typical method of addressing the problem of water availability is demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,970 to Ball. Ball teaches a self-watering plant guard in which a tubular body is provided with a means to allow water to drip into the root zone of the plant. However, drip type irrigation encourages upward root growth, while it is more desirable to encourage downward root growth in trees and large shrubs. When downward root growth is encouraged, the transplanted tree or large shrub is more quickly able to find the water it needs from natural sources. Downward root growth also better anchors the developing tree or large shrub in the ground.  
         [0006]     The prior art also does nothing to fill gaps in new landscaping while newly transplanted trees and shrubs mature. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a plant growth stimulator which is aestetically pleasing and fills gaps in new landscaping while trees and shrubs mature.  
         [0007]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant growth stimulator which selectively shades areas of a plant.  
         [0008]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant growth stimulator which is adjustable for use on plants of different sizes and shapes  
         [0009]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant growth stimulator which provides light of a selected spectrum to a selected section of a plant.  
         [0010]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant growth stimulator which guards against plant dessication.  
         [0011]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant growth stimulator which provides a means for delivering nutrition to a plant.  
         [0012]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant growth stimulator which encourages downward root growth.  
         [0013]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a plant growth stimulator which causes a tree or shrub to grow taller and faster than otherwise possible.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention is directed towards a shading device to aid in plant growth. The shading device is constructed to resemble a plant, and comprises at least one anchor for maintaining the shading device in an active location, at least one shade support fixedly attached to the anchor and extending outwardly therefrom, and at least one shading means for stimulating and directing plant growth. The shading means attaches to and extends outwardly from the shade support. The shading means provides a scattered pattern of shading and a scattered pattern of light penetration to an area below the shading means.  
         [0015]     In a preferred embodiment of the shading device, the anchor comprises a substantially flat base, and a plurality of tines fixedly attached to and extending downwardly from the substantially flat base. A reservoir disposed within the substantially flat base has a reservoir opening, a reservoir cap sealing the reservoir opening, and one or more feed openings disposed in the tines. The feed openings are in fluid communication with an area of ground in proximity to a plant. At least one telescopically adjustable shade support is fixedly attached to the anchor and extends outwardly therefrom. The shade support comprises a plurality of locking telescopic sections which may be locked in any position between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position. At least one shading means is attached to and extends outwardly from the shade support. The shading means stimulates and directs plant growth by providing a scattered pattern of shading and a scattered pattern of light penetration to an area below the shading means. The shading means is adaptable to allow a selected spectrum of light penetration.  
         [0016]     The present invention is also directed towards a method for stimulating and directing plant growth. The method comprises providing the shading device of the present invention and situating the shading device in proximity to a plant such that available light is filtered through the shading device before contacting the plant.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]     The accompanying drawings illustrate a complete embodiment of the invention according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  depicts the Plant Growth Stimulator of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  depicts a preferred embodiment of the Plant Growth Stimulator of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2 ( a ) depicts a detail of a preferred embodiment of the Plant Growth Stimulator of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2 ( b ) depicts a detail of a preferred embodiment of the Plant Growth Stimulator of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2 ( c ) depicts a detail of a preferred embodiment of the Plant Growth Stimulator of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]     Referring now to the drawings where similar elements are numbered the same,  FIG. 1  depicts the plant growth stimulator  10  of the present invention. The invention is constructed to look like a plant, and comprises at least one anchor  20  for maintaining the shading device in an active location. An active location is any location proximate to a plant, whereby the plant growth stimulator selectively blocks or filters available light before the light contacts the plant. The active location is preferably outdoors. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the anchor  20  is a substantially flat base  30  with at least one downwardly facing tine  40 . In an alternate embodiment of the invention the anchor  20  is a downward extension of a shade support  50 . In a most preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 2 , the anchor  20  comprises a plurality of tines  41  fixedly attached to and extending downwardly from the substantially flat base  30 . As seen in FIGS.  2 ( a ),  2 ( b ), and  2 ( c ), the substantially flat base  30  comprises a reservoir  31  disposed therein. A reservoir opening  32  is sealed with a removable reservoir cap  33 . One or more feed openings  34  disposed in the tines  41  are in fluid communication with the reservoir  31 . The feed openings  34  provide a draining means for communicating fluid from within the reservoir  31  to an area of ground surrounding the tines  41 . When using the invention the reservoir  31  is filled with a liquid which is preferably water or a plant food solution. The liquid drains through the feed openings  34  to keep adjacent plants (not pictured) fed and watered. The reservoir  31  preferably holds enough liquid to last about a week.  
         [0024]     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , at least one shade support  50  is fixedly attached to, and extends outwardly from the anchor  20 . The shade support  50  preferably extends upwardly from the anchor  20 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention the shade support  50  is adjustable in length. Any means of adjustability known to those of average skill in the art may be used. In a most preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 2 , the shade support  50  is a telescopic tube  51 . The telescopic tube  51  includes locking mechanisms (not shown), which may be any locking mechanisms known to those of average skill in the art. The locking mechanisms (not shown) secure the telescopic tube  51  in any position between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position.  
         [0025]     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , at least one shading means  60  is attached to and extends outwardly from the shade support  50 . The shading means  60  filters light passing therethrough so that a plant located proximate to the invention receives a scattered pattern of shading and a scattered pattern of light. In one embodiment of the invention, a scattered pattern of light which contains the full spectrum of available light penetrates the shading means  60 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention only a select spectrum of light penetrates the shading means  60 . In another preferred embodiment of the invention the shading means  60  comprises a plurality of artificial leaves  62 . The artificial leaves  62  are constructed of material that either completely blocks light, or a material which allows a particular spectrum of light to pass through. In a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 2 , the shading means  60  comprises both light blocking leaves  65  and light filtering leaves  66 . This allows the user to fully shade certain sections of the plant, while directing only light beneficial to plant growth to select sections of the plant. The light filtering leaves  66  preferably block green, yellow and infa-red light, while permitting blue light to pass through. In another preferred embodiment of the invention the shading means  60  is mountable at various locations along the shade support  50 . The shading means  60  is preferably placed so that the plant being shaded competes for light with the shading device  10 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the shading means  60  is constructed of wire  61  with the artificial leaves  62  attached thereto. A first end  66  of the wire  61  is then inserted into one of a plurality holes  75  disposed in the shade support  50 . In another preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first ends  66  of the wires  61  of plurality of shading means  60  mount into holes  71  disposed in movable collars  70 . The movable collars  70  mount at any location along the shade support  50 . Many other means for constructing and mounting shading means exist in the art, and it is not intended that this invention be limited to any particular one.  
         [0026]     The invention is also directed towards a method for stimulating plant growth. The method comprises situating the shading device  10  ( FIG. 1 ) of the present invention in proximity to one or more plants (not shown) so that available light is filtered through the shading device  10  before contacting the plant (not shown). Tines  41  ( FIG. 2 ) on the anchor  20  are then inserted into the ground to stabilize the shading device  10 . With the shading device  10  in place, the reservoir cap  33  (FIGS.  2 ( a ),  2 ( b )) is removed, the reservoir  31  is filled with liquid and the reservoir cap  33  is replaced. The liquid may be water, and is preferably a liquid plant food solution. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the position of the shading means  60  is adjusted to provide a scattered pattern of light to only the sections of the plant where growth is desired. The height of the device is adjustable, as is the placement of the shading means  60 . The adjustability allows a user to adjust the device to shade plants of various sizes. Another advantage of adjustability is that the device is adaptable to compliment a wide variety of landscaping themes.  
         [0027]     The above description and drawings are only illustrative of preferred embodiments which achieve the objects, features and advantages of the present invention, and it is not intended that the present invention be limited thereto. Any modification of the present invention which comes within the spirit and scope of the following claims is considered part of the present invention.