Abstract:
A tomato booster is disclosed with stackable hollow cylinders and vertical interlocking doors adapted to allow a tomato plant space for growth of secondary root systems in a vertical position. A method of using the tomato booster is also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The tomato booster relates generally to gardening accessories and more particular to planters within which plants are planted for growth and also tomato plants growing in the garden. 
     Years ago, even today, it was common knowledge that the best way to grow a tomato plant was to trim off all leaves off the stem, leaving only the top portion. Then dig a trench and lay the plant horizontally with the top end turned up. After this is complete, cover with dirt, water and fertilizer. This method allows the root system on the stem to expand to make a strong healthy plant. Using the tomato booster disclosed herein, the same results are accomplished when the one step method is completed, only in a vertical position instead of a horizontal one. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The type of tomato booster concerned includes those which are adapted to contain dirt or potting mix and a plant which is planted with the potting mix. The tomato booster can also be used on other tomato plants growing in the garden which are at least twelve to fourteen inches long. 
     Accordingly it is an object of the present tomato booster to provide a new and improved method of providing space for boosting the root system of the tomato plant whether grown in a pot or in the garden. This is done by applying a one step method. This is accomplished by allowing the plant to grow twelve to fourteen inches above the ground or potting mix. Then turning the tomato booster with its soil contact end down and setting upright on the ground adjacent to the plant, measure to trim all leaves even with the stem to the top of the booster. The open cylinder or tomato booster can then be placed around the stem of the plant and pressed closed and pushing its soil contact end into the ground. 
     One more object of the present tomato booster is to provide the plant being grown to be fed and watered with relative ease. By using the tomato booster all water and fertilizer applied goes directly to the root section. Yet another object of the present booster provides one which is readily small in size to facilitate shipping, packing and storing. A further object of the tomato booster is to provide such a booster which is uncomplicated in construction yet effective in operation. 
     Accordingly several advantages of one or more aspects are as follows: To provide a tomato booster that will produce more tomatoes whether it is in a planter or in the garden. To provide a tomato booster that will help the plant develop a stronger root system producing more tomatoes. Another advantage of the tomato booster is to grow a root system in a vertical position. Still another advantage is to provide a booster that will fit into any eight inch by eight inch size planter as well as around any in garden tomato plants, thus providing a funnel type fertilizing and watering system directed to the root system. Unlike the upside down planter, the tomato booster tomato plant will grow faster since it has a secondary root system thus allowing a stronger tomato plant to quickly yield more tomatoes. 
     The tomato booster is both efficient in cost and also shipping. It can be shipped in a plastic bag. It also because of size has a low capacity for potting mix making it cheaper to grow a tomato plant. It can also be used in any discarded planters and is reusable. The upside down planter is much larger and cost more to manufacture and ship. It also contains more potting mix which in turn requires more water and much more fertilizer. Other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
     The embodiments reside in a tomato booster for growing a tomato plant having a root system and stem which extends from the root system. There is also a one step of planting required to fulfill the object of the embodiments. The first step is to allow the plant to grow twelve to fourteen inches above the ground or potting mix. Then turning the tomato booster with its soil contact end down and setting upright on the ground adjacent to the plant, measure to trim all leaves even with the stem from the top to the bottom of the tomato booster. The open booster can then be placed around the stem of the plant and pressed closed engaging its soil contact end into the ground. Fill with potting mix water and liquid fertilize to complete the process. 
     The tomato booster when in place acts as a booster to the fine white fuss like roots developing on the stem of the plant. The booster can also be used on tomato plants growing in the garden as well as potting mix containers to increase their yield. Further the booster permits the user to water and fertilize the plant by pouring a mixture of liquid fertilizer on a periodic basis and watering once a day from the top of the booster. The booster should be filled with a good grade of potting mix up to one inch from the top. Thus the water which is needed by the plant being grown goes directly to the plant roots with no dramatic loss due to runoff. The tomato plant will also need some sort of support with its tremendous growth. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of tomato booster with its vertical side door closed. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the tomato booster. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of the inside overlap. 
         FIG. 4  is a view of the cutaways. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the male lock. 
         FIG. 6  is a view of the female lock. 
     
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Reference Numerals 
     
         
         
           
               102 —Hollow Cylinder 
               104 —Soil contact end 
               106 —Male Offset 
               108 —Female Offset 
               110 —Male Lock 
               112 —Female Lock 
               214 —Overlap 
               116 —Circular Stop 
               118 —Vertical Side Door 
               120 —Engager 
               122 —Cutaways 
               124 —Slits 
               102   a —First semicircular half of cylinder  102   
               102   b —Second semicircular half of cylinder  102   
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawings in greater detail. There is shown embodiments generally indicated of the tomato booster in  FIG. 1 . The hollow cylinder  102  with its open top and bottom has a vertical side door  118  with two offsets  106  and  108 , and is made up of two semicircular halves  102   a  and  102   b , each semicircular half attached to an offset, the male offset  106  attached to first semicircular half  102   a  of the hollow cylinder  102 , the female offset  108  attached to the second semicircular half  102   b  of the hollow cylinder  102 , these offsets  106  and  108  are on a ninety degree angle perpendicular to the cylinder  102 &#39;s body. On the male offset  106  are four equally spaced male locks  110 . On the female offset  108  are four preformed round holes for female locks  112  with four slits at ninety degree angles intersecting the preformed female locks  112  compatible to the male locks  110 . The overlap  214  (see  FIG. 2 ) begins one inch from the top of the tomato booster and ends at circular stop  116 . On the inner side of the tomato booster an overlap  214  is formed to continue horizontally beyond male offset  106  to form a barrier over the closed vertical side door  118 . On the hollow cylinder&#39;s bottom is soil contact end  104  for ease in determining the depth when it is placed into the soil with circular stop  116  in place. On the top side of the hollow cylinder  102  is engager  120  which is used to push the cylinder into the ground or potting mix. It is on the outside of the hollow cylinder  102  with its bottom inside reinforced to the hollow cylinder  102  and also acts as a mate for stacking with circular stop  116 . Soil contact end  104  has a one eighth inch offset to the inside of the tomato booster to allow its one inch end to enter the topside of the booster for stacking. When closing the tomato booster place a finger on each side of the offsets  106  and  108  with the locks  110  and  112  aligned and pressed together. 
     As will be apparent that the tomato booster provides a cavity that can contain dirt or potting mix after being placed around a tomato plant in a planter or in the garden pushing its soil contact end  104  into the ground until the bottom of the cylinder&#39;s circular stop  116  limits it depth to one inch in the ground. When the tomato plant has grown to twelve or fourteen inches tall a one step method should occur as follows: Turn the tomato booster contact end downward and setting upright on the ground adjacent to the plant, measure to trim all leaves even with the stem to the top of the tomato booster. The open booster can then be placed around the stem of the plant, pressed closed, and engaging its soil contact into the ground. When this is complete, fill it with potting mix to one inch from the top and water and feed with liquid fertilizer. The plant should be watered daily and administered with liquid fertilizer when applicable. 
     A novel feature of the tomato booster is that it can be stacked for an additional space for root formation. This is accomplished when the tomato plant has grown to three to four feet tall. Since the booster can be engaged into the top of another booster the same one step method is applied. First cut all leaves even with the stem to the height of the booster. Place the booster around the plant and close the booster. Push the booster into the top of the other booster and fill with a good grade of potting mix to within one inch of the top and turning it as to cover slit  124  above offset  106  and  108 . Next water thoroughly and feed with liquid fertilizer. 
     Exemplary dimensions of the tomato booster are as follows: The hollow cylinder  102  is round and is one sixteenth inch thick with its inside diameter being six inches and its height being eight inches tall. Its offsets  106  and  108  are one inch wide and are one sixteenth inch thick. The male and female locks  110  and  112  are in the center of male and female offsets  106  and  108  and are equally spaced to conform within each other. The four male locks  110  are smooth end studs and are one half inch long and one quarter inch in diameter. The ends are tapered to one sixteenth of an inch half way from the end of the studs to allow easy entry into the four preformed round female locks  112  (see  FIG. 6 ). The four female locks  112  are one eight inch round with four one sixteenth inch slits three thirty second inches long at ninety degree angles intersecting the female lock  112  (see  FIG. 5 ). On cylinder  102 &#39;s bottom side is circular stop  116  which is a one hundred eighty degree half circular and made to conform with engager  120 . On the hollow cylinder  102 &#39;s top is engager  120  which is one half inch in diameter and round in appearance with its bottom inside reinforced to the hollow cylinder  102  and mounted directly on the top side of the hollow cylinder ending at slit  124  to engage the hollow cylinder into the ground. Engager  120  has a one sixteenth slit  124  from the top of the engager  120  to the top of the offsets  106  and  108  in the center of the vertical side door  118  and also one on the opposite side with cutaways  122  for ease in opening the booster (see  FIGS. 2-4 ). 
     On the inner part of the tomato booster is an overlap  214  which is a continuation of the hollow cylinders  102 &#39;s inner side surpassing male offset  106 . The overlap is one inch beyond the entrance  118  when the hollow cylinder is closed. The male and female offsets  106  and  108  begin one inch under engager  120  and ends one inch short of the hollow cylinder  102 &#39;s side leaving room for one inch into the soil when circular stop  116  is engaged. The circular stop  116  is made to conform with the outside diameter of the engager  120  covering its top side with its inner side reinforced to the side of the hollow cylinder  102 . The hollow cylinder  102  soil contact end  104  has a one sixteenth inch slit at the door side and another one a hundred eighty degrees on the opposite side up through circular stop  116 . The soil contact end  104  offsets to the inside one eighth of an inch to allow it to enter the hollow cylinder  102 &#39;s top side for stacking and is one inch long from the top of engager  120 . The overlap  214  begins above the top of circular stop  116  and is mounted one half inch on the vertical side door  118  on the inside wall of the hollow cylinder  102  and to the left of male offset  106  extending one inch past the vertical side door  118  horizontally and terminates vertically one inch from the top of engager  120 . The cutaway  122  extends from the wall of the booster and beginning at slit  124  and extending on an angle to one half inch all around the engager  120  and the circular stop  116  on each side of slit  124 , each cutaway extending outward from slit  124  (see  FIGS. 2-4 ). 
     The tomato booster and its embodiments are made of plastic but different materials can also be used. Although the descriptions above contain many specification, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments for example the locks can be made in many different shapes and forms. And the hollow cylinder can be made into other shapes such as square, oblong, oval, two piece or more, expandable and etc. The closure can be formed in many different types and forms of pressure locks even to the use of snaps and Velcro and hook type. Bags can also be used. The reason for the top and bottom of the hollow cylinder to be fully open is to allow any secondary stems on the plant to be easily accepted especially when the plant has exceeded three or more feet tall. The vertical side door can be of any type lockable or not lockable, and it will not come in the way of the objective of the booster to accommodate stacking for a secondary root system. Thus the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalence rather than by the examples given.