Receptacle for cultivation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a receptacle for cultivation that comprises a body (1) and is characterised in that said body (1) contains at least two substrate layers (2,3), wherein a permeabilised separating element (4) is located between said layers. Given the design of the receptacle, water can move from the top of said body through the first substrate layer to the second layer at a rate slower than in the absence of said separating body (4).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] GROWING RECEPTACLE

[0003] Object of the invention

[0004] The object of this specification is a receptacle for cultivation, composed of a body that houses inside at least two layers of substrate between which a separating element is placed, made permeable thanks to the presence of at least one hole that allows water to move from the upper part of said body through the first layer of substrate towards the second layer at a slower speed than in the absence of said separating body.

[0005] Background of the invention

[0006] Currently, in the technical field of soilless cultivation (vegetables, berries, cannabis, fruit trees, etc.), the most commonly used systems are the grow bag or pots with substrate.

[0007] Grow bags are typically made of a polyethylene plastic bag with added agents that delay degradation due to ultraviolet light. This bag may include the necessary perforations for placing the plants to be grown on top and drainage holes on the bottom, or it may not include these holes, allowing the user to do so at their convenience.

[0008] This type of solution is filled with a growing substrate (such as coconut fiber, perlite, peat, rock wool, etc.) in which the roots of the plants develop. This substrate can be ready-to-use (as is the case with perlite and rock wool) or compressed, as is the case with coconut fiber. In this case, to obtain the final volume, it is necessary to hydrate the substrate before use and follow the recommendations for adjusting its electrical conductivity.

[0009] In the case of pots with substrate, this solution (sometimes) features a grid at the bottom to improve drainage and comes supplied with the desired growing medium as fill. The problem with these types of solutions is related to managing irrigation to achieve uniform moisture in the substrate. This problem can arise for two reasons: poor design of the density of emitters or drippers (too much distance between them) and / or an inadequate choice of watering quantity and frequency.

[0010] Because of this, growers face the problem of not having good homogeneity of root development throughout the entire volume of the substrate.

[0011] If the distance between drippers is excessive, root colonization will focus around the moisture bulb located below the irrigation emitter, wasting much of the plate's volume.

[0012] If the irrigation rate and frequency are not chosen appropriately, this often results in an adverse effect on root development due to excess moisture. Preferential channels form, and the highest moisture content occurs in the lower-middle portion of the substrate. This causes two problems: reduced utilization of the substrate volume (the upper portion loses moisture, impairing root development); and a phytopathological risk due to excess moisture where most of the root volume is concentrated.

[0013] Description of the invention

[0014] The technical problem solved by the present invention is to create a receptacle that houses a substrate within it and maintains a homogeneous humidity level across all profiles of the volume of the substrate plate without having to reduce the height of the plate(s). To this end, the cultivation receptacle, object of the present invention, comprises a body that houses at least two layers of substrate within it, and between them is a separating element made of permeable material thanks to the presence of holes.

[0015] Thanks to its design, the receptacle recommended here manages to maintain an optimal level of humidity uniformly across all profiles of the slab volume without having to reduce its height, since the lower the height, the greater the humidity uniformity. At the same time, it does not diminish the capacity of the substrate by not reducing its volume. All this is achieved thanks to the presence of at least one body (geotextile or plastic) between the substrate layers, which promotes greater humidity homogeneity in the upper, middle, and lower profiles of the substrate.

[0016] Another advantage of using the receptacle is that the matrix tension will be lower than with a single plate, since by having greater homogeneity of humidity throughout the volume of the substrate, the roots must use less force or energy to absorb water and nutrients.

[0017] In addition, the receptacle will have a greater water reserve (since it has a better distribution of humidity) and therefore, the electrical conductivity of the substrate is more stable and homogeneous, so the evolution of root growth is more favorable in all profiles of the plate, because the root will have fewer areas with differentials in electrical conductivity in the volume of the substrate.

[0018] Similarly, by maintaining the total volume of a substrate plate (although divided into two plates), the buffering capacity is still preserved to keep the pH constant and nutrients available to the plant.

[0019] It must be taken into account that, as a general rule, the roots develop mainly in the lower area of ​​the receptacle, since it is the area in which the substrate (filling) has the greatest humidity, because, although irrigation is usually done from the top, water by gravity tends to accumulate in the lower part of the receptacle, therefore, the inclusion of at least one separating body between the layers of substrate allows the humidity to not concentrate only in the lower part of it, but also to seek to spread humidity more homogeneously throughout the entire volume of the substrate.

[0020] The use of the receptacle recommended here and its special shape reduces the chances of preferential irrigation channels forming, which will result in greater irrigation efficiency, better use of water and nutrients by plant roots, and consequently, a greater total volume of roots in the receptacle, which will improve plant growth and production.

[0021] Brief description of the figures

[0022] Below, a series of drawings are briefly described to assist in a better understanding of the invention and are expressly related to an embodiment of said invention, which is presented as a non-limiting example thereof. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a practical embodiment of the culture receptacle that is the object of the present invention.

[0023] FIG 2. Shows an exploded view of the arrangement of the substrate layers (2,3) together with the separating element (4), as part of the cultivation receptacle.

[0024] FIG 3. Shows a top view of the body (1) as part of the culture receptacle, object of this report.

[0025] FIG 4. Shows a view of the separating element (4) as part of the cultivation receptacle, object of this report.

[0026] Exposition of a detailed embodiment of the invention

[0027] A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the attached figures. More specifically, the cultivation receptacle, object of the present specification, is characterized in that it comprises a body (1) that houses inside at least two layers of substrate (2, 3) and where, between them, there is a separating element (4), which allows water to move from the first layer of substrate (2) to the second layer of substrate (3) at a slower speed compared to other solutions known in the state of the art.

[0028] In a first practical embodiment, the separating element (4) will be materialized in a geotextile material, while in a second practical embodiment, the sheet will be materialized in a plastic material that houses a series of holes (4a) on its surface.

[0029] In a third practical embodiment, the separating element (4) will be a mesh; while in a fourth practical embodiment, the separating element (4) will be a net with a very compact weave.

[0030] The holes (4a) of the separating element (4) may be distributed throughout said element (4) in a homogeneous manner, in a perimeter manner, or by means of at least two large holes distributed on its surface.

[0031] In a practical embodiment, the body (1) will be shaped like a flowerpot. In a second practical embodiment, the body (1) will be shaped like a sack made of plastic and will incorporate cavities (1a) for planting the crop. In a particular embodiment, the substrate layers (2, 3) will be made of organic growing substrate (coconut fiber, peat, etc.); mineral substrate (such as: perlite, vermiculite, etc.); synthetic (for example, urea foam, polystyrene, etc.) and / or performed (for example, polyurethane foam or the like), or by a mixture of them.

[0032] The upper layer (2) may even be materialized in one type of substrate and the lower layer (3) in a completely different substrate.

Claims

MODIFIED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 27 May 2025 (27.05.2025) 1. Receptacle for cultivation comprising a body (1) that houses inside at least two layers of substrate (2,3), and where, between said layers, there is a separating element (4) made permeable by a plurality of holes (4a), characterized in that said separating element (4) is configured to delay the passage of water from the upper layer (2) to the lower layer (3), favoring a homogeneous distribution of humidity along the vertical profile of the substrate.

2. Cultivation receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the separating element (4) is made up of a geotextile material configured to obtain greater homogeneity of humidity in the upper (2) and lower (3) layers of the substrate.

3. Cultivation receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the separating element (4) is made up of a plastic sheet with perforations (4a) distributed homogeneously, around the perimeter, or by means of at least two large holes distributed on its surface.

4. Cultivation receptacle according to claim 1, wherein the separating element (4) is a mesh or a net with a compact weave.

5. Receptacle for cultivation according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (1) has the shape of a pot or a plastic bag that incorporates cavities (la) for planting the crop.

6. Cultivation receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate layers (2, 3) are composed of an organic cultivation substrate; a mineral substrate; a synthetic substrate; a prepared substrate, or a mixture thereof.

7. Cultivation receptacle according to claim 7, wherein the substrate layers (2,3) are made of a different substrate.

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