WO2002052921A2

WO2002052921A2 - Geocomposite container drainage system

Info

Publication number: WO2002052921A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/049839
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gary R. Joachim
Original assignee: Serrot Corporation
Priority date: 2001-01-02
Filing date: 2001-12-28
Publication date: 2002-07-11
Also published as: WO2002052921A3

Abstract

A system for reducing the loss of potting medium (40) with the water draining from a plant container (10). The system utilizes a geocomposite insert (30) for the plant container (10) which is placed adjacent to the drainage opening (24) of the container (10) and filters the potting medium (40) from the water.

Description

GEOCOMPOSITE CONTAINER DRAINAGE SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of plant containers. More specifically, this invention relates to a system for the reduction of soil erosion due to the flow of water through the plant container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A wide assortment of containers are utilized for growing plants. Although these containers vary in shape and size, in order to provide adequate drainage of the soil, these containers must have a drainage opening providing for the passage of water through the container. However, the problem with such openings is that the potting medium is often washed out with the draining water.

Many different type of inserts and adaptations for plant containers have been proposed throughout the years to alleviate problems associated with growing plants in containers. Most of these proposed inserts and adaptations allowed for proper drainage of the container but were not designed to filter the potting medium from the water draining out of the container. As a result, these prior inserts allow the water, along with the potting medium, to wash through the container indiscriminately. See Vestal,U.S. Patent No. 515,032 (insert to facilitate removing the plant from the pot); Brandell, U.S. Patent No. 1,996,898 (insert for protecting the drainage opening from obstruction by the plant roots); Fearn, U.S. Patent No. 2,834,153 (insert for maintaining an air space in the lower part of the flowerpot above the drainage opening), and Pavelka, U.S. Patent No. 6,125,579 (insert for creating a water reservoir at the bottom of the plant container). Various other materials have been used in an attempt to facilitate drainage while reducing the loss of potting medium. Large objects such as rocks, clay pot pieces, and reclaimed tire fibers (U.S. Patent No. 4,166, 340) have been used. However, the potting medium can wash through between these relatively large pieces.

In addition, a few inserts have been specifically designed to prevent the loss of potting medium through the drainage opening. The problem with these earlier inserts is that they each have a limitation which makes them unsuitable for some types of plant containers. For example, in Andrews, U.S. Patent No. 5,299, 384, the insert is designed only for plant containers with side wall drainage openings; in Peng, U.S. Patent No. 5,315,783, the insert is designed for use with the specialized flowerpot disclosed in the patent; in Hirsch, U.S. Patent No. 5,448,854, the insert can only be used in one orientation and can only be used in plant containers with centered drainage openings.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a solution to the problem of potting medium loss in any type of plant container. In the present invention, a plant container insert is provided which allows water to flow through the drainage opening, while preventing the loss of potting medium with the water, and is adaptable for any type of plant container. It is also an object of this invention to provide an insert which is durable and sterilizable so that it may be reused multiple times. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide an insert that may be composed of waste materials, which are unusable for their original purpose, as well as new materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A system for reducing the loss of potting medium from a plant container. The disclosed system comprising a plant container having a bottom wall with an interior surface and an exterior surface, and at least one side wall extending upwards from the bottom wall and at least one drainage opening within the bottom wall, a geocomposite having a net layer and at least one textile layer, laying against the interior surface of the bottom wall and situated over the drainage opening, potting medium laying on top of the geocomposite, and a plant rooted within the potting medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the plant container showing the system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the plant container showing another embodiment of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows the geocomposite of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-2 show a plant container 10 comprising a bottom wall 12, at least one side wall 18, and a drainage opening 24. The bottom wall has an interior surface 14 and an exterior surface 16. The side wall has an interior surface 20 and an exterior surface 22. In FIG. 1, the drainage opening 24 is located within the bottom wall 12. In FIG. 2, the drainage opening 24 is located within the side wall 18.

Within the plant container 10 is the geocomposite 30. Adjacent to the geocomposite 30 is the potting medium 40, wherein the plant 50 is rooted.

FIG. 3 shows the geocomposite comprising a textile layer 32 and a net layer 34. Preferrably, the geocomposite comprises two textile layers with a net layer located between the two textile layers. However, a geocomposite with only 1 textile layer and a net layer may be used. The net layer 34 is composed of high density polyethylene (HDPE). The textile layer of the geocomposite is a non-woven needle-punched fabric which is composed of polypropylene. The geocomposite functions to filter the potting medium from the water as it flows through the drainage opening and out of the plant container. The textile layer is capable of "microparticle" filtering; therefore, even the smallest sized particles of potting medium will not pass through the textile layer with the water. The geocomposite described for use in the present invention is currently used in the land fill and waste management industry for leachate collection. The present invention creates a beneficial purpose for scrap geocomposite product or "off-spec" geocomposite product.

The disclosed geocomposite is engineered to last for years. This characteristic allows the plant container inserts of the present invention to be reused multiple times. Additionally, the geocomposite does not begin to lose its structural properties until 120° C. Therefore, these inserts may be sterilized, which makes them suitable for use in a commercial greenhouse settings as well as home use.

Although the net layer gives strength to the composite, it does not make the composite rigid. Therefore, the geocomposite is flexible and can be used with any shaped plant container. Furthermore, the geocomposite material can be cut with ordinary household scissors. This allows the insert to be cut to the exact dimensions needed for the plant container. For example, in FIG.l the geocomposite would be cut to the dimensions of the inner surface of the bottom wall, while in FIG.2, the geocomposite would be cut to the dimensions of the inner surface of the side wall. As indicated from the description above, the present invention provides a superior system and method for reducing the loss of potting medium from any size or design of plant container. It should be understood that a wide range of changes and modifications can be made to this invention by those skilled in the art, and it is intended that all such modifications and verifications be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A system comprising a plant container having a bottom wall with an interior surface and an exterior surface, and at least one side wall extending upwards from the bottom wall and at least one drainage opening within the bottom wall; a geocomposite having a net layer and at least one textile layer, disposed against the interior surface of the bottom wall and positioned - or covering over the drainage opening; potting medium disposed on top of the geocomposite; and a plant rooted within the potting medium.

2. A system as described in Claim 1 having a geocomposite with two textile layers and a net layer situated between the textile layers.

3. A system as described in Claim 1 wherein the geocomposite is the same size as the interior surface of the bottom wall of the plant container.

4. A system comprising a plant container having a bottom wall and at least one side wall, where the side wall has an interior surface, exterior surface and extends upwards from the bottom wall, and at least one drainage opening within the side wall; a geocomposite having a net layer and at least one textile layer, positioned adjacent to the interior surface of the side wall and covering the drainage opening; potting medium positioned adjacent to the geocomposite and opposite ^"to the side wall; and a plant rooted within the potting medium.

5. A system as described in Claim 4 having a geocomposite with two textile layers and a net layer situated between the textile layers.

6. A system as described in Claim 4 wherein the geocomposite is the same size as the interior surface of the side wall of the plant container.

7. A method of reducing soil erosion within a plant container, having a bottom wall with an interior surface and an exterior surface, and at least one side wall extending upwards from the bottom wall and at least one drainage opening within the bottom wall, comprising the steps of: covering the drainage opening within the bottom wall of the plant container, with a geocomposite having a net layer and at least one textile layer; placing potting medium on top of the geocomposite; and rooting a plant within the potting medium.

8. The method of Claim 7 wherein the geocomposite is cut to the same size as the interior surface of the bottom wall of the plant container.

9. The method of Claim 7 wherein the geocomposite has two textile layers and a net layer situated between the textile layers.