Seedling raising pot

Abstract

To provide a seedling raising pot that pest insect or the like cannot easily enter in a period until transplantation, and environmental load of which is also suppressed.SOLUTION: A seedling raising pot 1 is formed by adhering a cylindrical side surface part 10 and a bottom surface part 20, where the side surface part and the bottom surface part is formed of a sheet-like material equipped with a layer formed of paper and a thermofusible resin layer. The bottom surface part has slits 21 penetrating in a thickness direction, and a distance between portions of the bottom surface part opposing with the slit laid between them is 1 mm or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seedling pot, and more particularly to a seedling pot made of paper. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, seedling pots for agricultural and horticultural use have been widely made from various plastics such as polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene because they are inexpensive and highly durable. Plastic seedling pots must be disposed of as waste after the seedlings have been grown, and the burden on the environment cannot be ignored.

[0003] To address this issue, Patent Document 1 discloses a seedling pot made of paper. This seedling pot has multiple holes drilled in the side. When the seedlings are planted in the pot in soil, the seedling pot decomposes over time due to moisture and bacteria, so there is no need to dispose of it as garbage, and the burden on the environment is reduced. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-113413 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Seedlings housed in seedling pots are stored in greenhouses or the like until they are replanted. However, the seedling pots described in Patent Document 1 have holes in the sides, which can allow pests to enter through the holes and damage the seedlings, or the appearance of the invading pests can cause discomfort to users (so-called nuisance pests).

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a seedling pot that is less susceptible to intrusion of pests and the like during the period until transplantation and that reduces the environmental burden. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention is a seedling pot formed by joining a cylindrical side portion and a bottom portion. In this seedling pot, the side and bottom parts are formed of a sheet-like material having a paper layer and a heat-sealable resin layer. The bottom part has a slit penetrating in the thickness direction, and the distance between two opposing parts of the bottom part across the slit is 1 mm or less. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a seedling pot which is less susceptible to intrusion of pests and the like during the period until transplantation and which reduces the burden on the environment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a seedling pot according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the seedling pot. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the seedling pot according to a modified example. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a side view of the seedling pot according to a modified example. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a side view of the seedling pot according to a modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a side view of the seedling pot according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seedling pot (hereinafter simply referred to as a "pot") 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pot 1 has a cylindrical side portion 10 and a bottom portion 20 attached to the side portion 10 so as to close one opening thereof.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 2, the lower end of the side portion 10 is folded inward over the entire circumference of the cylindrical shape. The periphery of the bottom portion 20 is folded downward over the entire circumference, and the side portion 10 and the bottom portion 20 are joined together with the folded periphery inserted between the folded inward side portions 10. As will be described in detail later, the side portion 10 and the bottom portion 20 are joined by thermal fusion using a resin layer provided on each of them.

[0013] The side surface portion 10 and the bottom surface portion 20 are formed of a sheet-like material. This sheet-like material includes a main layer mainly made of paper and a resin layer formed on at least one surface of the main layer. There is no particular restriction on the paper constituting the main layer, and various known papers can be appropriately selected and used, but from the viewpoint of imparting a certain degree of rigidity to the pot, paperboard and the like are preferred.

[0014] The resin layer is melted and used for heat fusion when forming the side portion 10 from a single sheet-like material, or when joining the side portion 10 and the bottom portion 20 to form the pot 1. The resin layer is formed of a biodegradable plastic that can be heat fused, so as not to impede the biodegradation of the pot in the soil. Specific examples of the resin layer include various biodegradable plastics that can be decomposed in soil, such as polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), polyhydroxybutylene hexanate (PHBH), and polyhydroxybutylene bulkate (PHBV). The resin layers may be provided on both sides of the main layer, in which case they may be made of different plastics, but it is preferable to form them from the same plastic, as this makes it easier to join them by heat fusion.

[0015] In this embodiment, the planar shape of the bottom surface portion 20 of the pot 1 as viewed from above is a square with rounded corners (rounded square). The side surface portion 10 is a cylindrical shape with rounded corners that matches the planar shape of the bottom surface portion, and its cross section gradually expands from the side where the bottom surface portion is attached to the opposite side. The above-mentioned shapes are merely examples, and the shapes of the side and bottom parts can be appropriately set depending on the type of target plant, etc.

[0016] 3 is a bottom view of the pot 1. Four slits 21 are provided in the bottom surface portion 20. In this embodiment, each slit 21 is formed in a straight line that generally follows a line connecting each corner and the center of the rounded square that is the shape of the bottom surface portion 20 in a plan view. The slit 21 is formed by a method that does not produce cutting waste, such as by pressing a Thomson blade against the sheet material to penetrate it. Therefore, the width of the slit 21 is about 1 mm or less, which is close to the thickness of the blade tip that is pressed against it. As a result, the distance between the opposing sheet materials across the slit 21 is essentially zero.

[0017] The operation of pot 1 configured as above when in use will now be described. A user fills pot 1 with appropriately selected soil and sows the seeds of a desired plant or plants a seedling. At this time, since the distance between the opposing sheet-like materials sandwiching slits 21 at bottom portion 20 is substantially zero, leakage of soil from slits 21 is significantly suppressed, making handling easy. Meanwhile, excess water poured onto the soil in pot 1 is suitably discharged from the slits. As a result, the soil is kept at an appropriate level of moisture for a long period of time, and root rot of plants is suppressed.

[0018] The pot 1 is stored in a greenhouse or the like until it is time to repot the plant, and since the distance between the opposing sheet-like materials across the slits 21 is essentially zero, various pests such as slugs, millipedes, cockroaches, etc. cannot easily enter the pot 1 through the slits 21. This makes it possible to significantly reduce damage caused by pests during storage.

[0019] When the plant in pot 1 is ready to be replanted, the user digs a hole in a replanting site such as a field and replants the plant together with pot 1. Pot 1 is made entirely of biodegradable materials, so it will decompose in about 1 to 2 months. This eliminates the trouble of removing the plant from pot 1 and discarding the pot after removal.

[0020] As described above, the pot 1 according to this embodiment is resistant to infestation by pests during the period until repotting, and the environmental impact is reduced. In addition, in the manufacturing process, no waste is generated when forming the slits, and manufacturing can be simplified while reducing waste.

[0021] In this embodiment, the length of the slits 21 can be set appropriately, but if it is too short, the drainage function may be insufficient, and if it is too long, the strength of the bottom surface portion may be insufficient. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that the sum of the lengths of the slits 21 is about 30% to 65% of the peripheral length of the planar shape of the bottom surface portion.

[0022] In the present invention, the fine through structure formed without generating punching waste is not limited to the above-mentioned slit. For example, instead of the slit 21, a plurality of pinholes 22 may be formed, as in the modified example shown in Fig. 4, or the slit 21 and the pinhole 22 may be combined. The pinhole 22 can be formed without generating any scraps by piercing a metal needle through the bottom surface portion 20. The diameter of the pinhole 22 is roughly the same as that of the needle used, but if the diameter is less than 3 mm, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the entry of pests during storage. The sum of the areas of the multiple pinholes 22 is preferably 5% or less of the area of ​​the bottom portion 20 in a plan view.

[0023] In addition to the through structure provided in the bottom portion 20, an auxiliary slit 11 may be provided in the side portion 10, as in the modified example shown in Fig. 4. By providing the auxiliary slit 11, a small amount of light is irradiated from the side of the pot 1 to the soil inside. This prevents excessive root growth in the pot 1, and also prevents the occurrence of a phenomenon known as "root wrapping" or "root congestion," which is detrimental to plant growth.

[0024] The seedling pot according to this embodiment will be further described using examples and comparative examples. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited solely on the basis of the specific content of each example.

[0025] The main component of the sheet material is paper, with the side part having a main layer of 300 g / m 2 The paper is coated with PBS as a resin layer on the inside surface, and the bottom part has a main layer of 190g / m 2 The paper used was coated with PBS on both sides as a resin layer.

[0026] Example 1 The above sheet material was used for the sides and bottom of the pot, and a paper cup-shaped pot was made by heat sealing using a resin layer. The bottom was circular with a diameter of 50 mm in plan view, 100 mm high (including 8 mm for the elevated part where the sides and bottom were joined), and the diameter of the top opening was 65 mm. Two slits, each 25 mm long, were formed in the bottom portion using a Thomson blade so as to intersect in a cross shape (approximately 31.8% of the peripheral length of the bottom portion in plan view). In this manner, the seedling pot according to Example 1 was prepared.

[0027] Example 2 The seedling pot of Example 2 was prepared in the same manner as Example 1, except that four 25 mm long slits were formed in an intersecting pattern on the bottom surface (approximately 63.6% of the peripheral length of the bottom surface when viewed in plan). Example 3 The seedling pot of Example 3 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 13 pinholes with a diameter of 1.25 mm were formed at equal intervals on the bottom (0.8% of the planar area of ​​the bottom). Example 4 The seedling pot of Example 4 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 13 pinholes with a diameter of 2.15 mm were formed at equal intervals on the bottom (accounting for 2.4% of the planar area of ​​the bottom).

[0028] Example 5 The seedling pot of Example 5 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that in addition to the bottom surface, four slits each having a length of 12.5 mm were formed at equal intervals in the vertical direction on the side surface. Example 6 The seedling pot of Example 6 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that in addition to the bottom surface, four 25 mm long slits extending vertically were formed at equal intervals on the side surface. Example 7 The seedling pot of Example 7 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that in addition to the bottom surface, eight slits each having a length of 12.5 mm were formed at equal intervals in the vertical direction on the side surface.

[0029] Comparative Example 1 A polyethylene pot having roughly the same shape and size as the seedling pot of Example 1 was prepared, and two circular holes with a diameter of 9 mm were formed in the bottom surface. As a result of the above, a seedling pot according to Comparative Example 1 was obtained. Comparative Example 2 A seedling pot according to Comparative Example 2 was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that a slit similar to that in Example 1 was formed in the bottom surface instead of the circular hole. Comparative Example 3 A seedling pot according to Comparative Example 3 was produced in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that pinholes similar to those in Example 3 were formed in the bottom surface instead of the circular holes. Comparative Example 4 A seedling pot according to Comparative Example 4 was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a circular hole similar to that in Comparative Example 1 was formed in the bottom portion instead of the slit.

[0030] The seedling pots according to each example were evaluated as follows. 90 g of commercially available soil was placed in a pot on a white table, and the amount of soil that spilled onto the table through the holes and slits was measured. After that, 50cc of water was poured over the soil and left to stand for about 3 minutes until the water stopped dripping. The measured mass was subtracted from the mass of the soil and pot to obtain the water retention capacity (g). The pot was left indoors at room temperature for 4 days, and the change in mass was recorded each day. The water retention rate for each day was calculated, assuming the water retention capacity at the start of the measurement to be 100%. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0031] [Table 1]

[0032] In Comparative Examples 1 and 4, which had holes in the bottom similar to those in the past, soil spilled out during preparation work and the water retention was insufficient. In Comparative Example 4, it was shown that the soil was drier than it was initially after four days. On the other hand, in the examples, no soil spillage occurred. In addition, the water retention was sufficient, so it was thought that it would be possible to reduce the frequency of watering. There were no obvious gaps in the appearance, so it seemed difficult for pests to enter the pot.

[0033] It was believed that the excellent water retention of the pots according to the embodiment was largely due to the penetration structure with a practical distance of zero on the bottom surface, but it was also found that the paper pots had a tendency to have better water retention than the resin pots with the same penetration structure. Although the cause of this has not been fully identified, it was believed that one of the reasons was that the bottom of the pots according to the embodiment was separated from the installation surface by the elevated base, so that the water that reached the bottom was less likely to flow out due to surface tension. From the above, it was confirmed that the seedling pot according to the embodiment has high water retention and is easy to handle.

[0034] Each embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to experimental examples. However, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and modifications and combinations of the configurations that do not depart from the gist of the present invention are also included.

[0035] For example, as in the modified example shown in Fig. 6, perforations 12 may be provided on the side surface 10 so that a certain area of ​​the upper end can be cut off. In this way, the side surface exposed above ground can be cut off and discarded after repotting, accelerating biodegradation of the pot. Instead of the perforations 12, other easily detachable structures such as half cuts may be provided.

[0036] Also, as in the modified example shown in FIG. 7, a slit 13 penetrating the platform 15, which is the joint between the side part 10 and the bottom part 20, may be formed. In this way, light passes through the slit 13 and enters the space surrounded by the platform 15, and a part of the light enters the pot through the through structure provided in the bottom part 20. As a result, as with the auxiliary slit 11, excessive root growth can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the platform 15 is made of multiple overlapping layers of sheet-like material, it is less biodegradable than other parts, but by providing the slit 13, water, soil, microorganisms, etc. can easily enter after repotting, and the biodegradation of the platform 15 can be promoted. Instead of the slits 13, other through structures such as pinholes may be provided.

[0037] Furthermore, the side portion located at the edge of the opening may be curled to improve the rigidity of the pot. In this case, slits or pinholes may be formed in the curled portion to promote biodegradation after repotting, or the curled portion may be combined with the above-mentioned easy-to-detach structure to be removable after repotting when the rigidity is no longer required.

[0038] In the seedling pot according to the present embodiment, the planar shape of the bottom surface is not limited to the rounded rectangle or circle described above, and various shapes can be selected. However, if the planar shape is a rectangle, it is easy to store multiple pots on a general-purpose rack or the like. In addition, since the pots can be arranged without gaps, even if soil is added all at once while they are arranged without gaps on a rack or the like, spillage is unlikely to occur. Another advantage is that storage efficiency is improved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 Seedling pot 10 Side part 11 Auxiliary slit 12 Perforations 13 Slit 15 High ground 20 Bottom part 21 Slit 22 Needle hole

Claims

1. A seedling pot formed by joining a cylindrical side portion and a bottom portion, the side surface portion and the bottom surface portion are formed of a sheet-like material having a paper layer and a heat-sealable resin layer; The bottom surface portion has a slit penetrating in a thickness direction, and the distance between the portions of the bottom surface portion facing each other across the slit is 1 mm or less. Seedling pot.

2. The slits are provided in a plurality of portions, and the sum of the lengths of the slits is 30% or more and 65% or less of the length of the periphery of the bottom surface portion in a plan view. The seedling pot according to claim 1.

3. A seedling pot formed by joining a cylindrical side portion and a bottom portion, the side surface portion and the bottom surface portion are formed of a sheet-like material having a paper layer and a heat-sealable resin layer; The bottom surface portion has a pinhole having a diameter of 3 mm or less penetrating in the thickness direction. Seedling pot.

4. The side surface portion has an auxiliary slit penetrating therethrough in the thickness direction. The seedling pot according to claim 1 or 3.

5. The resin layer is made of a soil-degradable biodegradable plastic. The seedling pot according to claim 1 or 3.

6. The side surface portion and the bottom surface portion are joined to each other. The seedling pot according to claim 1 or 3.

7. A through structure is provided on the plateau. The seedling pot according to claim 6.

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