Patent Publication Number: US-10772263-B2

Title: Ergonomic gardening container

Description:
CITATION TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/351,069, entitled “Ergonomic Gardening Container,” filed Nov. 14, 2016, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/474,306, entitled “Ergonomic Gardening Container,” filed May 17, 2012, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by this reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to gardening, and more specifically, to gardening containers. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many traditional gardening containers are difficult to use, particularly for those with a limited range of movement. Bending over to reach ground-level gardening containers can be difficult and uncomfortable, and many raised-bed gardening containers are too low to satisfactorily address this problem. Such challenges are amplified for those gardeners seeking to benefit the environment by composting waste material for use in their gardening containers, as many compost containers are also relatively low to the ground, and transferring material from the compost container to the gardening container can be labor intensive and unpleasant. Moreover, raised-bed gardening containers are generally expensive, particularly larger and higher containers, in part, because the containers consume a relatively large amount of retail and warehouse shelf space prior to their sale. These size-related problems are also felt by gardeners seeking to store such containers, e.g., outside of the growing season. Other weaknesses of many gardening containers include the lack of a readily attached protective cover to provide a greenhouse or shade, depending on the weather. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The following is a non-exhaustive listing of some aspects of the present techniques. These and other aspects are described in the following disclosure. 
     In some aspects, the present invention includes a raised-bed gardening container, including a base, a feeding tube, and a cover frame. The base, in some aspects, includes a bottom edge; a top rim at least 36 inches above the bottom edge; an exterior sidewall extending between the bottom edge and the top rim; an interior sidewall extending from the top rim to a bottom interior, the interior sidewall and bottom interior defining an interior volume for containing a gardening media, the interior volume having a diameter of greater than approximately four feet; a feeding tube support generally centrally disposed in the base; and a gardener passage extending to the feeding tube support and having a width configured to allow a gardener to walk through the gardener passage to the feeding tube support. In some aspects, the feeding tube is configured to be coupled to the feeding tube support and reside approximately centrally within the interior volume to collect compost and convey water into the gardening media. The feeding tube may include a plurality of apertures operable to convey water into the gardening media and an upper aperture disposed adjacent the gardener passage when the feeding tube is coupled to the feeding tube support and operable to receive water and compost material. The cover frame may be configured to be coupled to the base and support a protective cover over the interior volume of the base. 
     Some aspects include a gardening container, including a base being a monolithic body of a single material and having an exterior sidewall sloping in a direction; an interior sidewall sloping in an opposing direction and defining an interior volume for containing a gardening media; and a gardener passage extending to the feeding tube support and having a width configured to allow a gardener to walk through the gardener passage to the feeding tube support, wherein the base is stackable such that a plurality of substantially identical bases, when stacked, each contain more than 50 percent of an adjacent base. 
     Some aspects include a gardening container, including a stackable base being a monolithic body of a thermoplastic, a feeding tube, a cover frame, and a plurality of layers of gardening media. The base may include a bottom edge; a top rim at least 36 inches above the bottom edge; an exterior sidewall extending between the bottom edge and the top rim; an interior sidewall extending from the top rim to a bottom interior, the interior sidewall and bottom interior defining an interior volume for containing a gardening media, the interior volume having a diameter of greater than approximately four feet; a feeding tube support generally centrally disposed in the base; and a gardener passage extending to the feeding tube support and having a width configured to allow a gardener to walk through the gardener passage to the feeding tube support. The feeding tube may be coupled to the feeding tube support and residing approximately centrally within the interior volume to collect compost and convey water into the gardening media. The feeding tube may include a plurality of apertures operable to convey water into the gardening media; and a top aperture disposed adjacent the gardener passage and operable to receive water and compost material. The plurality of layers of gardening media may be disposed within the interior volume and may include a bottom layer of porous material configured to provide drainage; a second layer on the bottom layer of recyclable material subject to composting; a third layer of soil on the second layer and in which plants are to be planted, wherein the bottom layer, the second layer, and the third layer slope downward four to six inches away from the feeding tube. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned aspects and other aspects of the present techniques will be better understood when the present application is read in view of the following figures in which like numbers indicate similar or identical elements: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a gardening container in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of the gardening container of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the gardening container of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side section view of the gardening container of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a plurality of the gardening container of  FIG. 1  in a stacked configuration; 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate an exploded view of another gardening container in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the gardening container of  FIGS. 7 and 8 ; 
         FIGS. 10 and 11  are perspective views of another embodiment of a gardening container; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a gardening container with a water disperser; 
         FIG. 13  is a sectioned perspective view of the water disperser of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is a plan view of a gardening container with a drain assembly in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view of the gardening container of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view of a gardening container with support chairs set along its base in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view of a gardening container with a drain pipe extending horizontally into the container interior; 
         FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional view of a gardening container with a drain pipe configured in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional view of the gardening container of  FIG. 18  depicting the draining of water from the container interior. 
     
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. The drawings may not be to scale. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some, and in some cases all, of the above-mentioned deficiencies in certain existing gardening containers are mitigated by an exemplary gardening container  10  illustrated by  FIG. 1 . As explained in greater detail below, some embodiments of the gardening container  10  support gardening media, such as soil, at a height that is relatively ergonomic for gardeners. Further enhancing the ergonomics of the gardening container  10 , some embodiments are shaped to allow a gardener to position themselves near the center of the gardening container, thereby placing much of the surface of the gardening media within reach of the gardener. Embodiments of the gardening container  10  are also expected to provide certain environmental benefits by facilitating water and soil conservation through use of an integrated composter that feeds compost tea into the gardening media and receives waste material generated during gardening or other activities. Some embodiments are, in large part, integrally formed from relatively few pieces, facilitating assembly of the gardening container  10  and lowering manufacturing costs, and larger components of the gardening container  10 , in some embodiments, are shaped to be stackable, thereby reducing the amount of space consumed by the gardening container  10  when not in use, for example when in storage or when on a retail sales floor or in a warehouse. Finally, some embodiments of the gardening container  10  facilitate use of a protective cover to expand the growing season with a greenhouse during colder weather and shade during warmer weather. These and other aspects of the gardening container  10  are explained in greater detail below, after introducing the components of the gardening container  10 . 
     As shown by  FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the gardening container  10  includes a base  12 , a feeding tube  14 , and a cover frame  16 . The base  12  holds the gardening media in which plants are grown and forms the support structure for the other components  14  and  16 . The feeding tube  14 , in some embodiments, is removably inserted into the base  12  and provides a chamber in which waste material is composted and through which water is applied to the gardening media. The cover frame  16  is also, in some embodiments, removably inserted into the base  12  and provides a support structure upon which sheets of protective material, such as shade fabric, deer netting, or translucent plastic, are attached to modulate or protect the environment in which plants are grown. 
     The base  12 , in the illustrated embodiment, includes a bottom edge  18 , a fillet  20 , an exterior side wall  22 , fasteners  24 , a top rim  26 , an interior side wall  28 , an interior fillet  30  (visible in  FIG. 2 ), a bottom interior surface  32  ( FIG. 2 ), a gardener passage  34  ( FIG. 1 ), a compost access door  36 , and a feeding tube support  38 . Generally, the fillets  20  and  30  flare away from their respective walls  22  and  28  to enhance stability. And to facilitate ergonomic access to the gardening container  10 , the sidewalls  22  and  28  raise the top rim  26  to approximately waist height, and the gardener passage  34  allows a gardener to position themselves within arms&#39; reach of plants, except, in some embodiments, plants over the feeding tube  14 . To encourage composting, the feeding tube support  38  holds the feeding tube  14  near the end of the gardener passage  34 , and the compost access door  36  provides ready access to composted material for ergonomic compositing while gardening. 
     The base  12  may be made of a variety of materials, including a properly formed sheet of material generally having a uniform thickness, which may include a single material or a composite material. For example, the base  12  may be formed into a sheet having the illustrated shape from a moldable plastic, such as injection molded, vacuum formed, or rotary-cast plastic, for instance a thermoplastic polymer like polypropylene. In another example, the base  12  may be formed from a composite material, such as fiberglass having fibers positioned with a hand layup process or with a spray layup process, for instance over a mold coated with a mold-release agent and generally having the shape of the illustrated base  12 . In some embodiments, the base  12 , with the exception of fasteners  24 , is integrally formed from a monolithic body of material (e.g. substantially entirely from a single body of polypropylene), a technique which is expected to yield relatively low manufacturing costs due a low part-count for the base  12 . An integrally formed base  12  is also expected to enhance strength by reducing or eliminating seams between components that would otherwise concentrate stresses. In other embodiments, though, the base  12  may be formed from multiple pieces, for example by bolting components together or by interlocking slots and tabs on adjacent components. In some embodiments, the base  12  may be made from a colored material, such as colored plastic, or (and/or) a pattern may be applied to the exterior, e.g., by screen printing simulated bricks or wood slats, or by applying inserts having such an appearance. 
     The bottom edge  18  terminates the fillet  20 , which extends down and outward from the exterior side wall  22  in the illustrated embodiment. The fillet  20  places the edge  18  further outward radially from a central axis  40  of the gardening container  10  than would otherwise occur, thereby providing a relatively wide base and relatively stable support for the base  12 . Maintaining stability is expected to be helpful in embodiments that contain a relatively large amount of heavy growing media and elevate the growing media relatively high. Further, the fillet  20  is expected to reduce the likelihood of the exterior side wall  22  collapsing, for example denting, when a force is applied radially inward, for instance if a person leans against the side wall  22 . Other embodiments, however, do not necessarily include the fillet  20 , which is not to suggest that any other feature described herein is required in all embodiments. 
     The illustrated exterior side wall  22 , in some embodiments, has a generally conical shape (e.g., approximately a frustum of a right circular cone) that is generally rotationally symmetric about the central axis  40 , with the upper portion near the top rim  26  being radially narrower than the lower portion near the bottom edge  18 . Again, the shape is selected to position the bottom edge  18  radially outward and enhance stability, though embodiments are not limited to gardening containers providing this benefit, as is the case with the other benefits of various embodiments described herein. In some cases, the outer sidewall  22  and other portions of the base  12  may include structures to enhance rigidity, such as fins, ribs, or other deviations in the shape of the outer sidewall  22 . In some cases, a pattern may be formed in the outer sidewall  22  to simulate the appearance of bricks and mortar, slats of wood, or a stone wall, both to enhance rigidity and for aesthetic reasons. Or some embodiments may include recesses with fasteners for receiving aesthetic inserts, such as wooden panels or simulated brick inserts. 
     In some embodiments, the fasteners  24  are generally disposed at approximately the same height around the exterior side wall  22  near the top rim  26 , for example generally radially symmetrically about the central axis  40 . The illustrated fasteners  24  are male portions of snaps riveted into holes through the exterior side wall  22 . Other embodiments may include other types of fasteners  24  (or no fasteners, which is not to suggest that other features are required of all embodiments), such as eyelets, hooks, zippers, hook and loop fasteners, and the like. The fasteners  24  function to secure a cover, such as shade cloth, deer netting, or translucent or transparent plastic sheets supported by the cover frame  16 . Distributing the fasteners  24  generally radially symmetrically and generally near one another, for example within 10 inches of one another or less, is expected to mitigate the concentration of stress in the protective sheet attached to the cover frame  16 , as might occur during a relatively strong wind. In some cases, the fasteners  24  are also disposed along the gardener passage  34  to support portions of a cover extending along the passage  34 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the top rim  26  extends horizontally radially inward from the outer sidewall  22  to the inner sidewall  28  and is generally flat and generally circular, with the exception of the gardener passage  34 . In some embodiments, the top rim  26  is wide enough for a person to rest their elbows or hands on when gardening, for example, the top rim  26  may be between 3 and 5 inches wide, such as approximately 4 inches wide. The top rim  26  may meet the sidewalls  22  and  28  in a chamfered region having a radius selected to avoid sharp edges contacted by the gardener and to avoid stress concentrations, e.g., a radius less than approximately 5 mm and greater than approximately 1 mm. In some embodiments the strength of the base  12  may be enhanced by fins extending downward from the top rim  26  and between the sidewalls  22  and  28 . Such fins, in some cases, may extend downward through a portion of the height of the base  12  (e.g., less than 10 inches) to facilitate stacking, as discussed below with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     The top rim  26 , in the illustrated embodiment, is also wide enough to provide space for a plurality of apertures  42  that receive the cover frame  26 . In some embodiments, the apertures  42  are generally radially symmetrically disposed about the central axis  40  and extend generally parallel to the central axis  40 , downward. For example, the apertures  42  may be ends of tubes  43  ( FIG. 5 ) that extend downward, for instance approximately 4 to 6 inches, to stabilize the cover frame  16 . The tubes  43 , in some cases, are joined to the sides  22  and  28  with fins or webbing to enhance their strength. Or in some embodiments, the apertures  42  are holes merely extending through the thickness of the base  12 . Some embodiments include approximately 9 such apertures  42  to distribute portions of the cover frame  16  relatively regularly under a cover and support the cover in stronger winds. 
     In some embodiments, the inner sidewall  28  extends generally downward from the top rim  26 . The illustrated inner sidewall  28  has a generally conical shape (e.g., approximately a frustum of a right circular cone) that is inverted relative to the outer sidewall  22 . That is, in the illustrated embodiment, the lower portion of the inner sidewall  28  is closer to the central axis  40  than the upper portion of the inner sidewall  28 . In this embodiment, the inner sidewall  28  is generally radially symmetric about the central axis  40 , with the exception of the gardener passage  34 . The inner sidewall  28  may include fins, ridges, or other structures to enhance rigidity in some embodiments. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the bottom fillet  30  of the present embodiment, which extends from the inner sidewall  28  to the bottom surface  32 . The curved shape of the fillet  30  is expected to enhance the rigidity of the inner sidewall  28  and reduce the likelihood of stress concentrations, as might arise from stones, or other sharp objects within the gardening media, denting or distorting the shape of the inner sidewall  28 . 
     The bottom surface  32 , in some embodiments, is generally flat, and generally normal to the central axis  40 . In some embodiments, the bottom surface  32  extends fully between the inner sidewalls  28  to form a closed receptacle for gardening media (e.g., a water-tight container), thereby facilitating use of the gardening container  10  in urban environments, for example on apartment building balconies. In some cases, the bottom surface  32  includes a drain, e.g., a threaded aperture to receive a drainage tube for directing water in a controlled fashion off an apartment balcony. The bottom surface  32 , in some cases, may include an integrally formed (or attached) pattern of fins, ridges, or other structures to enhance rigidity across the bottom surface  32 . In other embodiments, the bottom surface  32  is omitted, which is not to suggest that other features described herein may not also be omitted in certain embodiments. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the gardener passage  34 , which in this embodiment, extends radially inward from the outer sidewall  22  to the feeding tube support  38 . The gardener passage  34  may be generally perpendicular to the central axis  40  and may have a width, such as a minimum width, selected to accommodate a person walking through the gardener passage  34 . In some instances, the gardener passage  34  is greater than 6 inches wide, greater than 8 inches wide, or greater than 12 inches wide at the narrowest region. The gardener passage  34  is defined by exterior sidewalls  44  and  46  which meet with interior sidewalls  48  and  50  ( FIG. 2 ) at a passage top surface  52  or  54 . The exterior sidewalls  44  and  46  may generally slope away from one another, tending to be further from one another higher from the bottom edge  18  to accommodate human hips, which are generally wider than a person&#39;s feet, and to enhance stability. The interior sidewalls  48  and  50  may have an opposite slope, also to enhance stability and resists forces from a person leaning against the top surfaces  52  or  54 . 
     The feeding tube support  38  ( FIG. 1 ), in some embodiments, defines a conical shape (e.g., a frustum of a right-circular cone) extending along the central axis  40  and extending between the sidewalls  44 ,  46 ,  48 , and  50  to support the feeding tube  14  and contain the gardening media within the interior  56  of the base  12 . In some embodiments, the feeding tube support  38  includes a top portion  58  ( FIG. 2 ) that extends fully (or substantially fully, e.g., to resiliently clip the feeding tube  14 ) around the feeding tube  14  to hold the feeding tube  14  in position. The feeding tube support  38  may have a smaller diameter near the top than near the bottom to facilitate stacking of instances of the base  12 , as described in greater detail below with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     In some embodiments, the feeding tube  14  is removably placed within the feeding tube support  38 , again to facilitate stacking of the base  12  when the feeding tube  14  is removed. The feeding tube  14  may have a generally right cylindrical shape or the tube may have some other shape configured to allow compost to collect and water to pass into the gardening media, e.g., a lower chamber may be wider than an upper passage. The illustrated feeding tube  14  includes a plurality of ridges  60  that reduce the likelihood of the feeding tube  14  being compressed inward by the gardening media. The feeding tube  14 , in some embodiments, includes a plurality of apertures (e.g., an array of more than 20) drilled through the feeding tube  14 . These apertures may be approximately ½ inch or smaller to facilitate the flow of fluids from the feeding tube  14  into the gardening media while tending to impede the flow of solids between the gardening media and the feeding tube interior  62 . In some embodiments, the bottom of the feeding tube  14  is closed with a plug  64  ( FIG. 3 ), also to contain materials within the feeding tube  14 . The feeding tube  14  may be made of a variety of materials, including plastic, such as corrugated drainage pipe having a diameter between 8 and 20 inches, for example approximately 15 inches. The length of the feeding tube may be selected to elevate the feeding tube  14  above the growing media for relatively ergonomic access, and in some embodiments, the feeding tube  14  extends between 40 and 48 inches above the bottom surface  32  ( FIG. 2 ) of the base  12 . 
     In some cases, the feeding tube  14  includes an aperture behind the access panel  36  ( FIG. 1 ) through which processed compost can be removed for adding to the interior  56  of the base  12  and enriching the gardening media. The access panel  36  and aperture behind it may be high enough on the feeding tube  14  that fluids collecting at the bottom of the feeding tube  14  flow into the gardening medium before reaching the bottom edge of the access panel  36  to prevent drainage through the panel  36 . In some embodiments, a circular plate near the bottom of the feeding tube  14  is connected via a cable or shaft extending up through the feeding tube  14  to allow a gardener to either lift compost material up to the access panel  36  or fully clear the entire tube  14  by pulling this plate from above. 
     The cover frame  16  may be removably attached to the base  12  through the apertures  42 . In some embodiments, the cover frame  16  is made of a moldable material, such as a plastic, like polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe, or of a resilient material, such as fiberglass rods. In this embodiment, the cover frame  16  includes a plurality of generally straight cylindrical rods  64  ( FIG. 1 ) extending up to a spreader ring  66 , where the rods transition to an inward bending section  68  that continues until the rods meet one another at the central axis  40 . The rods  64  may be joined to the spreader ring  66  with a four-way orthogonal pipefitting in the case of PVC pipe or with a four-way orthogonal metal joint, for example formed by welding orthogonal aluminum tubes to one another, in the case of fiberglass rods. The curved portions  68  may meet one another in another ring near the central axis  40  having apertures to receive the curved portions  68  or by intersecting or overlapping one another at the central axis  40 . 
     Some embodiments include a cover having the shape of the cover frame  16 . The cover may be made of a variety material selected based on the desired environment within the interior  56 . For example, the cover may be a translucent or transparent plastic selected to provide a greenhouse effect within the interior  56  to extend the growing season into colder parts of the year. In another example, the cover may be made of shade cloth selected to protect plants growing in the interior  56  from the sun during warmer parts of the year. In another example, the cover may be a netting material (e.g., deer netting) selected to exclude pests. In some applications, the covers shield plants from excessive watering from rain, protect against foragers such as birds, protect against frost by reducing radiated heat loss, and protect against harmful insects. In some embodiments, the cover may include complementary fasteners that couple with the fasteners  24  around the base  12  to secure the cover to the base  12  and over the cover frame  16 . The cover may substantially or entirely enclose the cover frame  16 . The cover may be applied by pulling the cover over the cover frame  16  and snapping it or otherwise attaching it to the fasteners  24 . In some embodiments, the fasteners  24  extend along the gardener passage  34  to secure the area near this path as well. 
     In some embodiments, the gardening container  10  is assembled by placing the feeding tube  14  within the feeding tube support  38  and, then, attaching the cover frame  16  and any cover to the base  12 . Thus, the garden container  10  can be assembled by attaching four components, and in some embodiments in which the cover frame  16  and the cover are not used, the gardening container  10  can be assembled by merely attaching two components: the feeding tube  14  and the base  12 . Consequently, certain embodiments of the gardening container  10  are expected to be relatively easy to assemble for gardeners, particularly those with limited ranges of movement. 
     Once assembled, the interior  56  may be filled partially or substantially entirely with a gardening media by the gardener. A variety of different types of gardening media may be used, and in some cases, a variety of different types of materials may be used in a single instance. For instance, a first layer approximately 4 to 6 inches deep may include rocks, cans, Styrofoam, or other materials selected to provide drainage. A second layer on top of the first layer may include 6 to 16 inches of recyclable material, for instance cardboard, paper, vegetable waste, coffee grounds, or other material subject to composting. A third layer of approximately 8 to 12 inches may include a suitable soil for gardening selected in view of plants that the gardener intends to grow. Each layer may slope downward 4 to 6 inches away from the feeding tube  14  to facilitate water flow from the feeding tube  14  to root structures closer to the outer edges of the base  12 . Within the gardening soil, the gardener may plant a variety of different types of plants. 
     The feeding tube  14 , in some embodiments, serves dual purposes. Water is applied to soil within the interior  56  through the interior  62  of the feeding tube  14 , as compost material within the interior  62  of the feeding tube  14  composts, thereby forming a compost tea carried by the water into the soil to add nutrients, as well as forming additional soil as composting occurs for addition to the interior  56  of the gardening container  10 . In operation, the gardener drops compost material into the interior  62  of the feeding tube  14 , for example from the gardener&#39;s kitchen, or as the gardener trims organic material from the garden itself, such as weeds or plant clippings. This material composts within the feeding tube  14 . Composting is enhanced by watering the garden through the feeding tube  14 , as the water passes over and through the composting material, through the holes in the feeding tube  14 , and out into the gardening media in the interior  56  of the base  12 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the back portion of the feeding tube support  38  in some embodiments is open to expose the apertures in the feeding tube  14  (not shown due to size) to the growing media. Relatively ergonomic access to the feeding tube  14  is provided by the gardener passage  34  ( FIG. 1 ), through which the gardener passes when adding water or compost material. 
     From time to time, the gardener may remove material from the composting chamber of the feeding tube  14  (the lower portion of the interior), for instance when composting is complete and the material is sufficiently decomposed for use as soil. To this end, the gardener may enter the gardener passage  34 , open the access panel  36 , and scoop material from the bottom of the feeding tube  14  to add the material onto the top of soil in which plants are to be grown. Thus, some embodiments provide an integrated composter and raised bed garden between which waste material and composted material are relatively easily exchanged. Indeed, in some embodiments, the gardener can weed the garden, water the garden, add garden clippings to a compost pile, and add soil from the compost pile to the garden without walking more than a step or two from a single position. 
     The dimensions of the gardening container  10  may provide relatively ergonomic gardens. The height  69 , as illustrated by  FIG. 5 , may be greater than 30 inches, e.g., between 36 and 48 inches, which is approximately waist high for most gardeners. Gardening media near this height is expected to be relatively easy for the gardener to reach. The diameter  71  ( FIG. 5 ) is also selected with ergonomics in mind. In some embodiments, the diameter  71  is less than approximately one or two times a typical gardener&#39;s reach, such that substantially the entire surface of the garden can be reached from either the gardener passage  34  ( FIG. 1 ) or from the perimeter of the gardening container  10 . For instance, the diameter  71  may be between 3 feet and 8 feet, such as approximately 6 feet wide. 
     A substantial cost of many relatively-large gardening containers is the cost of storage, both to the gardener when the gardening container is not in use, and to a retailer or a wholesaler storing a relatively large number of such containers. Certain embodiments are expected to reduce these costs by facilitating stacking of bases  12  of the gardening container  10 .  FIG. 6  illustrates a plurality of stacked gardening container bases  12 . As illustrated, the top edge of each gardening container  26  is inserted into a wall interior  70  ( FIG. 5 ). The wall interior  70  is formed in the region between the inner sidewall  28  and the outer sidewall  22  and generally has an inverted V-shape in cross-section, such that higher portions are narrower than lower portions. This shape is expected to facilitate the stacked configuration illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In some embodiments, the feeding tube support  38  and the sidewalls  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) also have an inverted V-shape to facilitate stacking. Bases  12  of  FIG. 6  are said to be “stackable,” because at least one half of the vertical height of one container fits inside another base  12  stacked on top of it. In some embodiments, the bases  12  may stack such that more than 80% of the height of the base fits within the above base, thereby further conserving storage space. While not all embodiments are stackable, stackable embodiments are expected to be less expensive in terms of storage costs. In some embodiments, the wall interior  70  is filled partially or substantially entirely with a removable insulator, e.g., fiberglass insulation (or other material having an R-value greater than approximately R−3), to dampen swings in the temperature of the gardening media. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of a gardening container  72  in an exploded view. This embodiment includes an elevated surface  74 , a support structure  76 , a water permeable member  78 , and a watering tube  80 . As explained in greater detail below, the components of  74 ,  76 ,  78 , and  80  may form an elevated water reservoir beneath the gardening media, which may maintain the moisture of the gardening media to facilitate plant growth. 
     In some embodiments, the elevated surface  74  is a waterproof sheet of material, such as machined or molded plastic or metal. The elevated surface  74  may be attached to support structure  76 , for example by being bolting to the support structure  76  or by being welded to the support structure  76 . The support structure  76 , in this embodiment, is a grid of support beams  12 , which may extend to a perimeter that is similar or identical to the interior of the base  12  discussed above. In some embodiments, the support structure  76  includes a plurality aluminum, steel, wood, composite, or plastic beams arranged in a grid. The support structure  76  may carry the load of the elevated base  74 , water borne by the elevated base  74 , as well as gardening media supported by the water permeable member  78 . The support structure  76 , in turn, may rest against the sides of the base  12 , which may include a ledge or ridges to mate with the support structure  76 . The water permeable member  78  may include an array of apertures  82  sized such that a gardening media generally does not fall through the apertures  82 , but water may evaporate or otherwise be drawn out through the holes  82  into the gardening media. The water permeable member  78  may be a sheet of machined wood, plastic, or metal through which an array of holes  82  have been drilled, or the water permeable member  78  may be a plastic, wire, or fiber mesh. 
     The watering tube  80  may be approximately 3 feet long and may extend through a complementary aperture  84  in the water permeable member  78  into a volume defined by the water permeable member  78  and the elevated surface  74 , as illustrated by  FIG. 8 . Together, these layers define a water reservoir  86  in which water is stored in the spaces around the support structure  76 , which permits water to flow around its constituent beams. As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the members  74 ,  76 ,  78 , and  80  may be lowered into the base  12  to form an elevated water reservoir under the water permeable member  78 , upon which gardening medium may be applied. The gardening media may draw water through the apertures  82 , either through evaporation, or by filling the reservoir  86  such that water flows through the apertures  82 , thereby applying a relatively uniform and relatively constant source of moisture to the gardening media. Water reaches the reservoir  86  through the watering tube  80 , which extends through the gardening media, into the space between the water permeable member  78  and the elevated support  74 . The elevated support  74  may rest on a ledge extending around the interior of the base  12 , which may include a seal to limit the escape of water, or the elevated support  74 , in some embodiments, may be integrally formed in the interior of the base  12  or be formed in a cup-shape, such that the support structure  76  and the water permeable member  78  sit within the volume defined by the elevated support  74 , which may also be referred to as a pan. 
     In operation, the gardener may apply a gardening media over the top of the water permeable member  78  and, then, plant within the gardening media. The watering tube  80  may be a two-inch tube that extends through the gardening media to a height such that the gardener has access to the top of the tube  80 . The gardener may add water to the top of the watering tube  80 , and the water may flow through the tube  80 , through the water permeable member  78 , and accumulate in the reservoir  86  above the elevated support  74 . This accumulated water may then evaporate or, if enough water is supplied, flow through the apertures  82  into the gardening media, thereby watering the plants and providing a relatively large supply of water from which the plants may draw moisture. In some embodiments, a wicking material may extend through the apertures  82  into the reservoir  86 , for example cotton rope, twine, or other fibers. The wicking material may draw water from the reservoir  86  into the gardening media above through capillary action, thereby providing water to the roots of plants. By providing a steady supply of water from a relatively large reservoir (e.g., more than 5 gallons) gardening container  72  is expected to extend the periods between watering sessions by gardeners, thereby simplifying the gardening process. 
     Embodiments of the gardening container  12  are not limited to those having a generally circular base. For instance, some embodiments have a rectangular shape, as illustrated by gardening container  88  in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . The base  90  of gardening container  88 , like the previous embodiments, is tapered and is stackable. The width  92  of the base  90  may be selected such that a typical person can reach across the base  90  to garden while leaving room for plants, e.g., the width  92  may be less than 30 inches and more than 10 inches, such as near or exactly 20 inches. The length  94  of the base  90  may be greater than or equal to the width  92  in some embodiments, e.g., over 40 inches. In some embodiments, the length  94  and width  92  may be approximately or exactly equal, forming a square shape, and access from the ends of the base  90  may facilitate use of larger dimensions, e.g., the sides may be greater than 20 and less than 60 inches, such as approximately or exactly 40 inches. 
     The illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 10 and 11  includes a tapered feeding tube  96 , e.g., an inverted frustum of a rectangular pyramid, positioned near or at the center of the base  90 . In some embodiments, the feeding tube  96  may have other shapes, such as those discussed above. The tube  96  includes a top aperture  98  and a plurality of apertures near its base (e.g., an array of approximately half inch apertures within two feet of the bottom of the tube  96  to facilitate flow of water through composting material into the gardening media. As with previous embodiments, the height of the gardening container  88  may be greater than approximately 36 inches to facilitate access to plants (though embodiments are not limited to containers in this height range), and the space between the walls may define a hollow side-wall interior  100  ( FIG. 11 ) to facilitate stacking. Other embodiments may have other shapes than rectangular and circular, such as those defined by other regular polygons (e.g., a triangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, or an octagon) and those defined by irregular polygons (e.g., a trapezoid, a C-shape, or a W-shape). Having two or more relatively straight sides is expected to facilitate use of the gardening container  88  near corners, e.g., near the corner of an apartment balcony. 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate another embodiment of a gardening container  102  having a water disperser  104 . In this embodiment, the water disperser  104  includes a plurality of tubes  106  radially symmetrically disposed within the base  12  and extending through the side of the feeding tube  14 . As illustrated in  FIG. 13 , each tube  106  (which in this embodiment is generally a right circular cylinder, and which may have other shapes), extends outward and is sloped downward to distribute water radially into the gardening media. The end of the tubes  106  within the feeding tube  14  includes an upper aperture  108  for catching water added to the feeding tube  14 , and the distal portions of the tubes  106  include one or more apertures near a bottom portion of the tubes (not shown) for directing water into the gardening media while impeding the flow of gardening media into the tubes  106  (e.g., an array of ½ inch apertures). In operation, water is added to the top of the feeding tube  14 , and the water flows down into the upper apertures  108 . The water then is directed radially outward, toward the distal portions of the tubes  106 , due to the tubes  106  downward slope, and the water flows out of apertures in the bottom portion of the tubes  106  into the gardening media. The water disperser  104  is expected to disperse water in the gardening media more evenly that systems without such a feature, thereby potentially enhancing plant growth throughout the gardening container  102 . 
     In some embodiments, in place of, or in conjunction with, ledges or ridges set into the interior sides of the base, securing means for holding support structure  76  in a fixed position may be placed throughout the base of water reservoir  86  along the top surface of the elevated base  74 . In these embodiments, these securing means resemble rebar support chairs. The support chairs may be individually installed onto the top surface of elevated base  74  according to methodologies known in the art or alternatively be directly molded to said top surface of elevated base  74  during manufacture. In some embodiments, the support chairs may be placed throughout the bottom surface of interior  56 . In these embodiments, support structure  76  is fixed to the support chairs without intervening elevated base  74 . 
     Additionally, some embodiments include a small opening between at least one edge of support structure  76  and the corresponding interior base wall. A second opening is also made immediately above the first opening between the same wall and water permeable member  78 . The openings may be around 1.5 square inches to allow for relatively unimpeded communication of water from water reservoir  86  to the gardening media resting atop water permeable member  78  via wicking. 
       FIGS. 14 and 15  depict another embodiment of a gardening container having a drain assembly. In these embodiments, a drain assembly separate from the central tube is incorporated into the base. The drain assembly is located at the top of base  12  on an interior side wall. The drain box  109  is secured onto the wall by any conventional means or may be molded into base  12  during manufacture. Drain box  109  is entirely enclosed except for an input aperture  111  with access to the exterior of base  12  and configured to accept a hose or other water source, an output aperture  110  designed to allow water to flow out from drain box  109  to the exterior of base  12 , and a reservoir access aperture  112  at the bottom of drain box  109  that opens into water reservoir  86  allowing water to flow from water reservoir  86  into drain box  109  and vice versa. 
     In some embodiments, input aperture  111  is 4 square inches in size and located at the top of drain box  109  above output aperture  100 . In other embodiments, reservoir access aperture  112  may extend from the base of drain box  109  half an inch up on the innermost side of drain box  109  relative to water reservoir  86 . A PVC or other similar pipe may be fitted and secured inside drain box  109  to direct, and ensure controlled flow of, water between output aperture  110  and reservoir access aperture  112 . Additionally, output aperture  110  and reservoir access aperture  112  may be configured, using methodologies known in the art, to only allow water to flow to the exterior of base  12  when a certain water level is reached in water reservoir  86 . 
     In some embodiments, the base of the entry of gardener passage  34  may be substantially flush with the horizontal surface upon which the gardening container is placed to allow for compliance with American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. A 3-sq. inch clearance may also be incorporated into the base wall that defines gardener passage  34  to comply with ADA requirements. 
     It should be understood that the description and the drawings are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The term “gardening” herein is not limited to hobbyist pursuits and encompasses agricultural activities in general, including activities on farms. Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, this description and the drawings are to be construed as illustrative only and are for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as examples of embodiments. Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed or omitted, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims. 
     Accompanying this filing, as “Appendix A to Continuation-In-Part Application of Richard Schroeder of 14 Nov. 2016” are newly added features on which this Continuation-in-Part application is based, and which will be formalized at a later time. 
     As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). The words “include”, “including”, and “includes” and the like mean including, but not limited to. As used throughout this application, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content explicitly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “an element” or “a element” includes a combination of two or more elements, notwithstanding use of other terms and phrases for one or more elements, such as “one or more.” The term “or” is, unless indicated otherwise, non-exclusive, i.e., encompassing both “and” and “or.” Terms relating to causal relationships, e.g., “in response to,” “upon,” “when,” and the like, encompass causal relationships having both causes that are a necessary causal condition and causes that are a sufficient causal condition, e.g., “state X occurs upon condition Y obtaining” is generic to “X occurs solely upon Y” and “X occurs upon Y and Z.” Similarly, unless otherwise indicated, statements that one value or action is “based on” another condition or value encompass both instances in which the condition or value is the sole factor and instances in which the condition or value is one factor among a plurality of factors.