PLANT SUPPORT CAGE

Abstract

The present invention provides a growing support structure for use in planting crop and ornamental plants which supports the growth of the plant and may improve fruit production. The tool is a cage structure through which the plant grows, propping up the shoots of the plant and supporting the fruit, flowers, and/or other anatomical structures, keeping them from contacting the ground, thereby preventing rot. The cage structure also allows the plant to still receive the benefit of sunlight, as the cage allows the passage of sunlight.

Claims

1. A low-profile plant support device for supporting growth of low-lying plants, comprising: a plurality of corner insertion rods for insertion into soil; a plurality of lateral shoot-support windows operable to allow the passage of shoots of a low-lying plant to support the weight of the shoot and prevent kinking of the shoots; and at least one upward facing window operable to train vertical growth of shoots therethrough and reduce lateral collapsing of the shoots, wherein the plurality of lateral windows and the at least one upward facing window are operable to support the weight of shoots bearing fruit.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device has a vertical height in a range of about 5 inches to about 12 inches.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device has a substantially rectangular outline.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertical supports and cross members have notches or indentations that further increase plant and/or device stability.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said plant support device includes at least six lateral shoot-support windows.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said plant support device includes at least eight lateral shoot-support windows.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said plant support device includes vertical supports on at least one side that have a convex outward bend therein to assist in preventing inward collapse of said plant support device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said lateral shoot-support windows comprises at least one corner shoot-support windows located at a corner of said plant support device having a three-dimensional polygonal structure.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said three-dimensional polygon structure has an acute angle in a corner portion from which the one of said insertion corner rods is attached, wherein said acute angle assists in preventing inward collapse of said corner portion of said plant support device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one upward facing window comprises a plurality of upward facing windows.

11. A method of growing low-lying plants, comprising: a. planting seeds of low-lying plants on substantially flat soil; b. placing a plant-support cage over said seeds or sprouts of said low-lying plants, said plant-support cage comprising i. a plurality of corner insertion rods for insertion into soil, ii. a plurality of lateral shoot-support windows operable to allow the passage of shoots of a low-lying plant to support the weight of the shoot and prevent kinking of the shoots, and iii. at least one upward facing window operable to train vertical growth of shoots therethrough and reduce lateral collapsing of the shoots, wherein the shallow corner insertion rods can be quickly inserted into the soil with application of a downward force of about 10 pounds or less, c. harvesting said low-lying plants; and d. removing said plant-support cages.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising stacking said plant-support cages in a nesting manner, wherein said plant-support cages have a geometry that allows a plurality of the plant-support cages to be stacked in a nested manner.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a vertical height of said plant-support cage is in a range of about 5 inches to about 12 inches.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plant-support cage has a substantially rectangular outline.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of vertical supports and cross members have notches or indentations that further increase plant and/or device stability.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said plant support device includes at least six lateral shoot-support windows.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said plant support device includes at least eight lateral shoot-support windows.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said plant support device includes vertical supports on at least one side that have a convex outward bend therein to assist in preventing inward collapse of said plant support device.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said lateral shoot-support windows comprises at least one corner shoot-support windows located at a corner of said plant support device having a three-dimensional polygonal structure.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said three-dimensional polygon structure has an acute angle in a corner portion from which the one of said insertion corner rods is attached, wherein said acute angle assists in preventing inward collapse of said corner portion of said plant support device.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of the plant support structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a view of the front side of the plant support structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a view of the back side of the plant support structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a view of the left side of the plant support structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 5 shows a view of the right side of the plant support structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 6 shows a top perspective view of the plant support structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 7 shows a bottom perspective view of the plant support structure, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 8 shows an isometric view of the plant support structure supporting a plant, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in reference to these figures and certain implementations and examples of the embodiments, it will be understood that such implementations and examples are not intended to limit the invention. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that are included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In the following disclosure, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. References to various features of the “present invention” throughout this document do not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods must include the referenced features. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details or features.

[0031] Reference will be made to the exemplary illustrations in the accompanying drawings, and like reference characters may be used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1-8, the present invention includes vertical members 101 and 103 and cross members 102 and 104 which may be made of steel, plastic, galvanized wire or any material substantially rigid and durable. The first set of vertical support members 101 are located at each corner and have bottom ends that are adapted to engage with the soil to anchor the plant support to the soil. The first set of cross members 102 connect the upper ends of the vertical corner support members and form the bottom side of windows 105, which are arranged in a row around the lateral sides of the cage 100 near the ground.

[0033] A second set of vertical support members 103 extend vertically from the first set of cross members 102. The support member 103 form the lateral borders of the windows 105, and are placed at predetermined spacing between therebetween such that windows have a substantially uniform area. The support members 103 are spaced at a relatively close distance in order to provide the frame of the cage 100 sufficient vertical structural integrity to support the shoots of the low-lying plants growing therethrough. The support members 103 may be spaced apart from one another at a distance of about 2 inches to about 5 inches.

[0034] The plant support cage includes anterior and distal ends 110a and 110b of the cage 100 that may feature one or more lateral windows 105 with vertical supports that have a convex outward bend 111 therein defining the lateral sides of the windows 105. These outward bends 111 may assist in preventing inward collapse of the cage 100, and provide further structural support. The plant support cage 100 may also include lateral windows 105 at one or more of the corners 112 of the cage 100 that have a three-dimensional polygonal structure due to the convex outward bend in the vertical supports of the end windows 105 adjacent thereto. The one or more corner windows 105 may also have an acute angle 112a in a corner portion from which the insertion corner rod is attached. The acute angle assists in preventing inward collapse of that corner portion of plant support cage, and provides further structural support.

[0035] A second set of cross members 104 frame an upper central frame window 106 and completes the formation of the cage 100. The cross members 104 also provide the upper border of the lateral windows 105 once connected to the upper ends of the vertical support members 103. FIGS. 2-5 demonstrate that certain members, such as members 102A, 102B, and 103A, may have notches or indents that further increase plant and/or cage support and stability. The resulting structure 100 is compact and robust with short parallel insertion rods 101 that enable the cage to be quickly installed along a crop row fairly easily with little manual labor

[0036] As shown in FIG. 8, the frame windows 105 and 106 allow the passage of sunlight and support the plant 200 by providing areas to rest and secure plant shoots 201, fruit 202, flowers 203, and/or other anatomical structures. The structure members that comprise the frames (members 102, 103 and 104) may support the weight of adjacent plant shoots and subsequently hold the plant in place, and may fortify the stem when subject to external forces from the environment (e.g., wind). This keeps the plant structures (201, 202, and 203) elevated, supporting them and maintaining them away from the ground and consequently protecting them from rot and pest consumption. This also alleviates the need for plants to be grown on mounds; the cage 100 enables the plants to be grown on flat ground without the concern of fruit becoming submerged in irrigation water or falling over.

[0037] The dimensions of the plant support cage may vary depending on, but not limited to, the plant, the climate, or the incline of the ground. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6, the present invention has a substantially rectangular outline 120. However, it should be noted that the height may be anywhere between 5-12 inches, provided that the cage maintains its compact and rigid structure; similarly, the width and length that may be up to approximately twice the height of the device. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1-8, the present invention has frame windows 105 and 106 that have a polygonal shape and varying sizes within approximately one square foot. It should be understood that the frame windows may be any suitable shape or size that allows for easy passage of the plant's shoots and provide support.

[0038] The plant growing cage 100 can be used in methods of growing low-lying plants, such as fruit-bearing plants, which facilitates growing such plants on flat ground without the plants or fruit being damaged by contact with ground or pooled irrigation water. The method may include preparing a substantially flat area of soil for growing plants, planting one or more low-lying plants (e.g., strawberry plants, tomatoes, etc.) in the prepared soil, waiting for the plant to sprout, and placing on of the plant growing cage 100 over the one or more low-lying plants. The windows 105 and 106 in the plant growing cage 100 are arranged in an encompassing pattern that capture the shoots of the one or more fruit-growing plants, including those that grow semi-laterally, as the lateral windows 105 have lower borders that are close to the ground. The windows 105 and 106 may then support and train the shoots of the plant to prevent growth too near the ground. A plant-growing cages 100 can be efficiently inserted into the prepared soil (e.g., creating a crop row) as the cage requires only vertical motion to insert the vertical insertion rods 101 into the soil.

[0039] Once the plants have grown fruit, the cages 100 support the fruit-bearing shoots, such that the fruit remains suspended over the ground, avoiding contact with the soil and pooled irrigation water, thereby avoid spoilage of the fruit. The fruit may be harvested, and the yield from the plants may be improved as fewer fruit have wasted on the ground. Once the fruit have been harvested, the plant support cages 100 can be quickly removed from the soil by simply vertically lifting the cage 100. The cages 100 can then be efficiently stored by stacking one upon another as each cage has the same concave construction allowing for stacking.

[0040] It is to be understood that variations, modifications, and permutations of embodiments of the present invention, and uses thereof, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments, descriptions, or illustrations or combinations of either components or steps disclosed herein. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Although reference has been made to the accompanying figures, it is to be appreciated that these figures are exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.