Root ball holder

Abstract

The present invention provides a planting tool that can hold the root ball of a seedling in a state where it is not broken during shipping or transportation, and that can plant the seedling together with the root ball. [Solution] The root ball holder (10) of this invention is composed of multiple framework-shaped ribs that surround the sides and bottom of the root ball and have openings (5) that expose a portion of the root ball. The framework ribs are preferably shaped and sized to fit the inner surface of the seedling pot in which the seedling is grown. The root ball holder is preferably made from environmentally friendly materials that are decomposable in the natural environment and contain only plant-derived ingredients. Examples of environmentally friendly materials include plant fiber, starch, plant gum obtained by fermenting starch, water-soluble polymer glue, and cellulose or a water-soluble cellulose derivative.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a root ball holder, a planting tool that holds the root ball of a seedling without breaking it down, and also to a planting tool that allows the seedling to be planted together with the root ball. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, the mainstream method for planting seedlings in forestation involves intertwining the roots of the seedlings with the soil attached to them to form a lump called a root ball, and then transporting the seedlings to the mountains in that state to be planted. Therefore, a firm root ball is a prerequisite for shipping, and if the seedlings are not yet fully grown, the root ball may crumble when they are removed from the pot or seedling container. The root ball may also crumble due to the impact of being carried up the mountain.

[0003] For this reason, nonwoven fabric bags are used to support the root ball and prevent it from collapsing. The nonwoven fabric rots underground and the roots break through it, so the tree can be planted with the root ball as is. However, because nonwoven fabric is soft, there is a problem in that the opening must be widened and pressed down when filling the bag with soil.

[0004] Furthermore, if the bag is planted with the root ball, the nonwoven fabric does not decompose quickly and wraps around the entire root ball, meaning that the roots will not grow unless they break through the bag. In other words, if a nonwoven fabric bag is used, the root ball does not come into direct contact with the soil at the planting site, so the roots will not grow as vigorously, which could inhibit the plant's growth.

[0005] In addition, a method for raising seedlings of rice, vegetables, etc. has been proposed in which a predetermined shaped mass of seedling material made of a water-soluble nonwoven fabric, water-absorbent urethane foam, or other seedling raising material is placed in a seedling raising pot made of resin or paper, and then rice seeds or vegetable seedlings are sown and raised by irrigation or immersion in a nutrient solution (see, for example, Patent Document 1). With this method, when the raised seedlings are removed from the pots, the roots penetrate into the parent material mass and form a cluster around this mass, making it extremely easy to remove them. However, the above-mentioned means are intended to make it easier to remove the seedlings from the seedling raising pots, and are not intended to prevent the root balls from collapsing during transport of the seedlings.

[0006] Furthermore, a method for cultivating plants has been proposed in which a panel plate in a seedling raising tank, which contains root balls of plant seedlings in multiple holes, is transferred to a cultivation tank containing nutrient solution, and supported at a height where the root balls do not come into contact with the surface of the nutrient solution, and cultivation of plants in the cultivation tank is started with the supply of nutrient solution to the roots of the seedlings cut off (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In this method, the holes are filled with culture medium via a liquid-permeable sheet such as nonwoven fabric, and the diameter of the holes gradually decreases downward, allowing the culture medium to be packed more densely below the holes.The seedling roots become integrated with the culture medium, wrapping around it and being concentrated below the root ball, which prevents the culture medium from breaking down during seedling cultivation. However, the above-mentioned means are intended to allow the formation of the root ball to be carried out in an appropriate manner, but are not intended to prevent the root ball from collapsing during transportation of the seedlings. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-113073 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-66153 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and aims to provide a planting tool that can hold the root ball of a seedling in a state where it is not broken during shipping or transportation, and that can plant the seedling together with the root ball. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the first aspect of the present invention is a root ball holder characterized by being composed of a plurality of skeletal ribs formed in a framework that surrounds the sides and bottom of the root ball of a seedling and has openings that expose part of the root ball. In this case, it is preferable that the framework ribs are formed in a shape and size that conforms to the inner surface of the seedling raising pot in which the seedlings are to be raised.

[0010] In addition, it is preferable that the root ball holder is made from an environmentally friendly material that contains only plant-derived ingredients and is decomposable in the natural environment. In this case, the environmental load reducing material preferably contains at least plant fiber, starch, plant gum obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose or a water-soluble cellulose derivative. The environmental load reducing material may contain 40 to 60% plant fiber powder, 10 to 30% starch, plant gum powder obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose or a water-soluble cellulose derivative. Furthermore, the plant fibers may preferably include bamboo-derived plant fibers. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to this invention, the root ball is held from the outside by the framework ribs so that it does not collapse, and even if the seedling is planted as it is, the roots will grow out of the opening without being hindered from growing, so the growth of the seedling is not hindered. Therefore, it is possible to provide a planting tool that can hold the root ball of a seedling in a state where it is not broken during shipping or transportation of the seedling, and that can plant the seedling together with the root ball. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are schematic front and plan views showing the configuration of a root ball holder according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are schematic front and plan views showing the root ball holder shown in FIG. 1 placed in a seedling pot. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing how to use a root ball holder according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is a schematic diagram showing another method of using the root ball holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are schematic front and plan views showing the configuration of a root ball holder according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B are schematic cross-sectional and perspective views, respectively, showing the root ball holder shown in FIG. 5 placed in a replacement pot for cuttings. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic diagram showing how to use a root ball holder according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic diagram showing another method of using a root ball holder according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Below, the root ball holder of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. The embodiments described below are preferred examples of the present invention and are therefore subject to various technical limitations. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, root ball holder 10 in this embodiment is made up of a plurality of skeletal ribs that surround the sides and bottom of the root ball and have openings 5 ​​that expose part of the root ball. That is, root ball holder 10 is made up of a combination of a plurality of skeletal ribs that integrally surround the sides and bottom of the root ball and have a plurality of partially open openings 5···5 on the sides and bottom.

[0015] The ribs that make up this root ball holder 10 partially cover and hold the surface of the root ball, and have the function of preventing the root ball from collapsing due to external impacts, etc. The framework rib can be composed of, for example, a plurality of vertical ribs 1··1 (for example, six with a draft angle of 0.2°) arranged along the height direction of the root ball, and a circular bottom rib 3 connected to the lower end of each vertical rib 1··1 and arranged on the bottom side of the root ball.

[0016] In Figure 1, the root ball holder 10 is shown as a skeleton rib having six vertical ribs 1··1 that will be arranged at equal intervals around the periphery of the root ball, an upper horizontal rib 2 that will be arranged at the upper end of the height direction around the periphery of the root ball, and a circular bottom rib 3 with an opening 5 that will be arranged at the bottom of the root ball.

[0017] In this way, the root ball holder 10 holds the circumference of the root ball evenly and completely, eliminating the risk of the root ball collapsing due to shocks when it is carried on the back to a planting site such as a mountain. The number of vertical ribs 1 is not particularly limited, and any number can be arranged as long as the root ball can be effectively held (protected) without collapsing.

[0018] In addition, in FIG. 1, the root ball holder 10 is shown as having a plurality of openings 5··5 surrounded by two vertical ribs 1, 1 arranged adjacent to each other on the left and right. Also, in FIG. 1, the root ball holder 10 is shown as having one large opening 5 inside the bottom rib 3.

[0019] In this way, the root ball holder 10 is formed in a framework shape with a number of openings 5··5 that do not hinder the growth of the roots after planting. The shape of the circular opening 5 at the bottom of the root ball holder 10 is not particularly limited, and can be any shape, such as a square, a polygon such as a triangle, a pentagon, or a hexagon, or an oval, in addition to the circle shown in Figure 1.

[0020] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, it is desirable that the root ball holder 10 be shaped and sized to fit the inner surface of the seedling growing pot P (for example, a rectangular body that can accommodate the root ball holder 10) in which the seedling will be grown, so that it fits into the seedling growing pot P. That is, when using the root ball holder 10, as shown in FIG. 3, the root ball R of the seedling S formed in the seedling pot P may be accommodated (inserted) therein and transported later so as to hold the root ball R. Alternatively, the root ball holder 10 may be placed (installed) inside the seedling pot P in advance, and may be integrated with the root ball R, surrounding and holding the sides and bottom of the root ball R formed by the growth of the seedling S, and then removed from the seedling pot P together with the root ball holder 10 and transported, as shown in Figure 4.

[0021] In this way, root ball holder 10 is formed like a framework that conforms to the height, periphery, and bottom of seedling pot P, and holds down root ball R. Furthermore, although root ball holder 10 is designed to accommodate the growth of root ball R, even if root ball R is incomplete, root ball R will not collapse as long as the soil has hardened.

[0022] Such a root ball holder 10 may be, depending on the size of the seedling pot P, for example, approximately cylindrical with tapered sides, a height of 125 mm, an upper diameter of 45 mm, and a lower diameter of 30 mm. The shape of the root ball holder 10 is not limited to the approximately cylindrical shape described above, but may also be an elliptical cylindrical shape or a polygonal cylindrical shape, but it is desirable to make it conform to the shape and size of the inner surface of the seedling pot P.

[0023] In addition to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the present invention may also be configured as a modified embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 to 8, in which the root ball holder 10A is configured with a cylindrical cover body 60 having a plurality of vertically elongated openings 50 in the approximately upper half of the vertical ribs 1·1 and configured to cover the approximately upper half of the vertical ribs 1·1. The cover body 60 is cut out at the top and slopes open upward. In this modified embodiment, the circular bottom rib 3, the openings 5, etc. have the same configuration as the root ball holder 10 shown in FIGS. When the root ball holder 10A is configured as described above, the root ball R of the seedling S can be held in a more stable state, particularly when used with a replacement pot P2 for cuttings as shown in Figure 6.

[0024] Therefore, in the case of a root ball holder 10 formed to a shape and size that fits the inner surface of a seedling pot P, by storing the root ball holder 10 inside the seedling pot P beforehand and using it, as shown in Figure 4, the root ball R of the seedling S removed from the seedling pot P is held evenly and evenly around the entire periphery by the root ball holder 10 so that it does not collapse. Also, by placing the root ball holder 10 between the seedling pot P and the root ball R, the seedling S can be easily removed from the seedling pot P. Furthermore, even if the root ball R is planted together with the root ball holder 10 when transplanting the seedling S, the roots of the seedling S will grow out of the opening 5 of the root ball holder 10, so the growth of the seedling S will not be hindered. It is desirable that such root ball holder 10 be formed from an environmentally friendly material that is decomposable in the natural environment, such as in soil containing only plant-derived components (biomass), and that it maintains the necessary shape and strength throughout the period in which the seedling S for planting is raised in the seedling pot P. In other words, the root ball holder 10 is not removed from the root ball R and recovered when the seedling S is planted, but is left in the soil as is. In this case, the entire root ball holder 10 buried in the soil is decomposed by microorganisms and returns to the soil. It is desirable that the root ball holder 10 be processed to have a thickness of, for example, 1 mm or less so as to promote decomposition as much as possible.

[0025] In the above-described embodiment, the environmentally friendly material used for the root ball holder 10 is preferably a plant-derived material such as bioplastic. Various bioplastic developments are underway around the world, but the most popular and most widely produced materials include BioPE (biopolyethylene), PLA (polylactic acid), PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), and biomass-derived materials such as PBS (polybutylene succinate) and PA11 (nylon 11).

[0026] These plastics are made partially or entirely from biomass materials (plant-derived) and are highly regarded as environmentally friendly materials. PLA, a representative example, is mass-produced and widely distributed mainly in North America and Asia, with global production reaching approximately 290,000 tons in 2019 and expected to double within the next few years.

[0027] PLA is produced from sugarcane, corn, and other sources. PBS, which uses some biomass materials, is produced from succinic acid and butanediol. These plants contain a component called polysaccharide, but both polysaccharides and petroleum have the same basic molecular structure, consisting of C, H, and O in their chemical formula. Polysaccharides can be extracted from plants and then chemically synthesized by applying heat or slightly rearranging the structure to create a material with the properties of plastic.

[0028] Furthermore, biodegradable resins such as PLA, PHA, and PBS undergo hydrolysis after use in compost or soil under suitable humidity and temperature conditions, ultimately breaking down into CO2 and water within a few months through the action of microorganisms. They are already widely used commercially, appearing in disposable plastic cups and cutlery, takeout lunch containers, garbage bags, and more. Using plant-based plastics as bioplastics can help achieve decarbonization. Therefore, if bioplastics are used, they will return to nature even if they are left behind after use, so there is no need to worry about environmental pollution, which is desirable. In addition, the root ball holder 10 in the above-mentioned embodiment can be formed (manufactured) into a suitable root ball holder by using, for example, "BiOPBS (biopolybutylene succinate)" (registered trademark), which is PBS (polybutylene succinate) made from biomass raw materials.

[0029] Furthermore, the root ball holder 10 in the above-described embodiment can be molded (manufactured) using any existing equipment, for example, by using biodegradable plant fiber raw material granules sold by Amicaterra under the name "modo-cell" (registered trademark), without requiring special molding equipment.

[0030] Furthermore, examples of environmentally friendly materials used to form the root ball holder 10 include plant fiber (powder), starch, plant gum (powder) obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose. Specifically, it can contain 40 to 60% plant fiber powder, 10 to 30% starch, plant gum powder obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose.

[0031] Here, the plant fiber powder can be, for example, made from fiber raw materials such as stems, bark, leaves, or peels of natural plants, which are crushed to a particle size of approximately 100 to 200 mesh and dried to a moisture content of 20% or less. Specifically, it may contain bamboo-derived plant fibers. Plant residues may also be used.

[0032] Therefore, for example, environmental load reducing materials may include, as plant fibers, residues from the manufacture of bamboo disposable chopsticks, bamboo from abandoned bamboo forests, and powdered rice straw and corn cobs. This allows resources that would previously have been discarded to be used effectively without waste.

[0033] The starch can also be derived from plants such as wheat, potato, corn, sweet potato, cassava, lotus root, rice, or algae. The vegetable gum powder is obtained by adding a fermenting strain to starch and fermenting it. Cellulose is also used for thickening. That is, the ratio of each of the above raw materials used to reduce environmental impact varies depending on the root ball holder 10 to be manufactured and the processing method, such as injection molding, extrusion molding, press molding, round bar molding, hot extrusion molding, or blow molding, so cellulose is used to appropriately adjust the ratio.

[0034] Therefore, the root ball holder 10 can be manufactured using conventional existing molding equipment that performs injection molding, etc., using biodegradable plant fiber raw material granules as an environmentally friendly material, which contain, for example, 40 to 60% plant fiber powder, 10 to 30% starch, 3 to 20% each of plant gum powder obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose as blending ingredients.

[0035] The cellulose contained in the environmental load-reducing material may be a water-soluble cellulose derivative. That is, the root ball holder 10 may be formed using biodegradable plant fiber raw material granules containing plant fiber (powder), starch, plant gum (powder) obtained by fermenting starch, water-soluble polymer glue, and a water-soluble cellulose derivative as blending ingredients.

[0036] The water-soluble cellulose derivative is used to thicken the composition, and may be, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl ethyl cellulose, ethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, and cellulose gum.

[0037] Therefore, the root ball holder 10 can be molded using biodegradable plant fiber raw material granules containing, for example, 40 to 60% plant fiber powder, 10 to 30% starch, plant gum powder obtained by fermenting starch, and a water-soluble cellulose derivative.

[0038] The root ball holder 10 configured as described above can be placed over the root ball R (without being removed from the root ball R) and transported to the seedling planting location to prevent the root ball R from collapsing during distribution and transportation. Furthermore, because the root ball holder 10 is made of a material that decomposes in the natural environment (in the soil), it can be buried in the soil together with the root ball R, reducing the environmental impact without incineration. While the root ball holder 10 itself takes about a year to decompose, its multiple openings 5···5 ensure that the root ball R comes into contact with the soil in a large area, allowing the roots to grow sufficiently.

[0039] Therefore, unlike petroleum-derived resin products that cannot be buried, there is no need to remove the root ball holder 10 from the root ball R after use, or to dispose of or incinerate the removed root ball holder 10, making it possible to efficiently use the root ball holder 10 as a planting tool. In other words, while petroleum-derived resin products remain in the soil almost permanently, if the root ball holder 10 is made of biodegradable resin materials that can be decomposed in the natural environment (in the soil) or natural materials such as bamboo or wood, the root ball holder 10 will decompose over time and return to the soil.

[0040] Furthermore, the root ball holder 10 formed from such an environmentally friendly material can be disposed of as combustible waste even when not buried in the soil, and there is no risk of harmful substances such as dioxins being generated when it is incinerated. Furthermore, since the root ball holder 10 is made of a biodegradable resin material, it does not cause environmental problems due to microplastics. Furthermore, the root ball holder 10 is made from environmentally friendly materials that are decomposable in the natural environment, such as in soil, and is made only from plant-derived components (biomass), thereby reducing CO2 emissions.

[0041] Although the present embodiment has been described above, the above-described embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and any modifications, improvements, etc. that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0042] The actions and effects of the root ball holder 10 described above can also be said to be the same for the root ball holder 10A of the modified embodiment. [Industrial Applicability]

[0043] The root ball holder of this invention is expected to be used as a planting tool that prevents the root ball from collapsing due to impacts during shipping or transportation of seedlings, and enables the seedlings to be planted together with the root ball. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] P seedling pot P2 Replacement pot for cuttings R root ball S Seedling 1 Vertical rib 2 Upper horizontal rib 3 bottom rib 5 aperture 10 Root ball holder 10A Root ball holder 50 vertical opening 60 Cylindrical cover body

Claims

1. A root ball holder characterized by being composed of a plurality of skeletal ribs formed in a framework shape that surrounds the sides and bottom of the root ball of a seedling and has an opening that exposes part of the root ball.

2. 2. The root ball holder according to claim 1, wherein the framework rib is formed in a shape and size that conforms to the inner surface of a seedling pot in which the seedling is grown.

3. A root ball holder as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has multiple vertically elongated openings in the approximately upper half of the multiple vertical ribs that make up the multiple skeleton ribs, covering the approximately upper half of the multiple vertical ribs, with the upper part being a cutout opening, and a cover body that is inclined in an open shape along the top.

4. 3. The root ball holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is formed using an environmentally friendly material that is decomposable in the natural environment and contains only plant-derived components.

5. 5. The root ball holder according to claim 4, characterized in that the environmental load reducing material contains at least plant fiber, starch, plant gum obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose or a water-soluble cellulose derivative.

6. The root ball holder according to claim 5, characterized in that the environmental load reducing material contains 40 to 60% plant fiber powder, 10 to 30% starch, plant gum powder obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose or a water-soluble cellulose derivative.

7. 6. The root ball holder according to claim 5, wherein the plant fibers include bamboo-derived plant fibers.

8. 4. The root ball holder according to claim 3, characterized in that it is formed using an environmentally friendly material that is decomposable in the natural environment and contains only plant-derived components.

9. 9. The root ball holder according to claim 8, characterized in that the environmental load reducing material contains at least plant fiber, starch, plant gum obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose or a water-soluble cellulose derivative.

10. The root ball holder according to claim 9, characterized in that the environmental load reducing material contains 40 to 60% plant fiber powder, 10 to 30% starch, plant gum powder obtained by fermenting starch, and cellulose or a water-soluble cellulose derivative.

11. The root ball holder according to claim 9, characterized in that the plant fibers include bamboo-derived plant fibers.

12. The root ball holder according to claim 4, characterized in that the environmental load reducing material contains at least bio-polybutylene succinate.

13. The root ball holder according to claim 8, characterized in that the environmental load reducing material contains at least bio-polybutylene succinate.

Images