PLANT CARE TUBES AND METHOD FOR USING PLANT CARE TUBES

Abstract

An apparatus for helping plant growth, including a first tube having a cross-section and a width to accommodate lateral growth, and having a length to surround at least half the height of the foliage and at least half the depth of the roots. The first tube has a top and bottom end, the bottom end having attachment features that engage with the attachment features of a removably attachable bottom to form a nursery pot. The first tube is cylindrical or square with a length of 10 to 14 inches, and a diameter or width of 10 inches, the corresponding removably attachable bottom being similarly sized and shaped. A second tube has a similarly shaped cross-section, with a width 1-3 inches wider and a length 1-3 inches longer than the first tube. A method for growing plants from seedlings and a set of tubes for helping plant growth are also presented.

Claims

1. Apparatus for helping the growth of a plant, the apparatus comprising: a first tube having a cross-section, the first tube having a width configured to accommodate lateral growth of both foliage and roots of a plant, and having a length configured to surround at least half of the height and at least half of the depth of the foliage and the roots, respectively, the first tube also having a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end having attachment features; and a removably attachable bottom having attachment features configured to cooperatively attach to the attachment features of the first tube, so as to thereby form a nursery pot.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first tube is a cylinder having a round-shaped cross-section, and the removably attachable bottom is round-shaped.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first tube is a square tube having a substantially square-shaped cross-section, the square tube having rounded corners, and the removably attachable bottom is square-shaped having rounded corners.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second tube having a cross-section similarly shaped as the cross-section of the first tube, the second tube having a width that is 1-3 inches wider than the width of the first tube, and having a length that is 1-3 inches longer than the length of the first tube, so as to keep up with growth of the plant.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom end of the first tube, and the removably attachable bottom, each have cooperative molded attachment features.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removably attachable bottom is solid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removably attachable bottom has drainage holes.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first tube has a length of 10 to 14 inches.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first tube has a width of 10 inches.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first tube has a length of 12 inches, and a diameter of 10 inches.

11. A method for growing plants from seedlings, the method comprising: selecting a first tube of a width and a length; removably attaching a bottom having attachment features to a bottom end of the first tube having cooperative attachment features, so as to thereby form a nursery pot; filling the nursery pot with soil; planting seeds in the soil, and allowing the seeds to grow into seedlings having roots that are too large for the nursery pot; removing the bottom from the first tube; placing the first tube along with the soil and the seedling into prepared ground such that half of the first tube extends below ground level, and half of the first tube extends above ground level.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: selecting a second tube of a greater width than the first tube, and a greater length than the first tube; and placing a second tube into prepared ground surrounding the first tube such that half of the second tube extends below ground level, and half of the second tube extends above ground level; and pulling up and removing the first tube leaving the seedling and the soil, so as to allow the roots of seedling to grow from the soil into the prepared ground contained within the second tube.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising: adding or removing soil from a top end of the first tube so as to leave a volume of space at the top end sufficient to receive a quantity of water; and regularly providing the quantity of water to the top end of the first tube.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: placing a plant support structure into a top end of the second tube, such that the plant support structure is stabilized by an inner wall of the top end of the second tube.

15. A set of tubes for helping the growth of a plant, the set comprising: a first tube having a cross-section, the first tube having a width configured to accommodate lateral growth of both foliage and roots of a plant, and having a length configured to surround at least half of the height and at least half of the depth of the foliage and the roots, respectively, the first tube also having a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end having attachment features; a removably attachable bottom having attachment features configured to cooperatively attach to the attachment features of the first tube, so as to thereby form a nursery pot; a second tube having a cross-section similarly shaped as the cross-section of the first tube, the second tube having a width that is 1-3 inches wider than the width of the first tube, and having a length that is 1-2 inches longer than the length of the first tube, so as to keep up with growth of the plant; and a third tube having a cross-section similarly shaped as the cross-section of the second tube, the third tube having a width that is 1-3 inches wider than the width of the second tube, and having a length that is 1-2 inches longer than the length of the second tube, so as to keep up with growth of the plant.

16. The set of claim 15, wherein the first tube, second tube, and third tubes are cylinders having a round-shaped cross-section, and the removably attachable bottom is also round-shaped.

17. The set of claim 15, wherein the first tube, second tube, and third tubes are square tubes having a substantially square-shaped cross-section, the square tubes having rounded corners, and the removably attachable bottom is also square-shaped having rounded corners.

18. The set of claim 15, wherein the bottom end of the first tube, and the removably attachable bottom, each have cooperative molded attachment features.

19. The set of claim 15, wherein the first tube has a length of 3 1/2 inches, and a width of 5 inches.

20. The set of claim 15, wherein the second tube has a length of 4 inches, and a width of 8 inches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0066] Many additional features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0067] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a cylindrical embodiment of a plant care tube having a top and bottom end, the bottom end having attachment features that engage with the attachment features of a removably attachable bottom to form a nursery pot.

[0068] FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the cylindrical embodiment of FIG. 1A, showing the attachment features of the bottom end of the plant care tube, and the removably attachable bottom with corresponding attachment features.

[0069] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a square tube embodiment of a plant care tube having a top and bottom end, the bottom end having attachment features that engage with the attachment features of a removably attachable bottom to form a nursery pot.

[0070] FIG. 2B is an exploded perspective view of the square tube embodiment of FIG. 2A, showing the attachment features of the bottom end of the plant care tube, and the removably attachable bottom with corresponding attachment features.

[0071] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of a plant care tube with a bottom removably attached to form a nursery pot, the nursery pot containing soil and seedling growing in the soil, also showing another configuration of attachment features that engage on an inner surface of the bottom of the plant care tube.

[0072] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of a plant care tube with yet another embodiment of a bottom removably attached to form a nursery pot, the nursery pot containing soil and a larger seedling, also showing another configuration of attachment features that engage on an outer surface of the bottom of the plant care tube.

[0073] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the plant care tube of FIG. 3B with the bottom removed, still containing the soil and the larger seedling, the tube placed in prepared ground, along with a second tube of a greater width and a greater length buried with additional soil concentrically around the first tube, such that about half of the second tube extends below ground level, and about half of the first tube extends above ground level.

[0074] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the larger seedling of FIG. 4 grown even larger into the second tube after the first tube has been pulled up and removed, leaving the seedling and the soil, so as to allow the roots of seedling to grow from the soil into the prepared ground contained within the second tube.

[0075] FIG. 6 is a side view of a plant and a cross-sectional side view of the second tube of FIG. 5, having a plant support structure placed into the top end of the second tube, such that the plant support structure is stabilized by an inner wall of the top end of the second tube.

[0076] FIG. 7A is a flow chart of a method for growing plants from seedlings using plant care tubes.

[0077] FIG. 7B is a continuation of the flow chart of the method of FIG. 7A, showing more steps of the method for growing plants from seedlings using plant care tubes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0078] With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a cylindrical embodiment 10 of a plant care tube 12 is shown. The tube 12 has a top end 11 and a bottom end 13, the bottom end 13 having attachment features 16 and 16 that engage with the attachment features 18 and 18 of a removably attachable bottom 14 to form a nursery pot 12/14.

[0079] FIG. 1B shows an exploded perspective view of the cylindrical embodiment 10 of FIG. 1A, showing the attachment features 16 and 16 of the bottom end 13 of the plant care tube 12, and the removably attachable bottom 14 with corresponding attachment features 18 and 18.

[0080] With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a square tube embodiment 20 of a plant care tube 22 is shown. The tube 22 has a top end 21 and a bottom end 23, the bottom end 23 having attachment features 26 and 26 that engage with the attachment features 28 and 28 of a removably attachable bottom 24 to form a nursery pot 22/24.

[0081] FIG. 2B is an exploded perspective view of the square tube embodiment 20 of FIG. 2A, showing the attachment features 26 and 26 of the bottom end 23 of the plant care tube 22, and the removably attachable bottom 24 with corresponding attachment features 28 and 28.

[0082] With reference to FIG. 3A, a cross-sectional view is shown of an embodiment 30 of a plant care tube 32 with a bottom 34 removably attached to form a nursery pot 32/34, the nursery pot 32/34 containing soil 35 and seedling 38 growing in the soil 35, also showing another embodiment 36 of attachment features that engage with an inner surface of the bottom of the plant care tube 32.

[0083] With reference to FIG. 3B, a cross-sectional view is shown of an embodiment 30 of a plant care tube 32 with yet another embodiment 34 of a bottom removably attached to form a nursery pot 32/34, the nursery pot 32/34containing soil 35 and a larger seedling 38, also showing another embodiment 36 of attachment features that engage with an outer surface of the bottom of the plant care tube 32.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 4, a cross-sectional side view is shown of the plant care tube 32 of FIG. 3B with the bottom 34 removed, still containing the soil 35 and the larger seedling, the tube placed in prepared ground, along with a second tube of a greater width and a greater length buried with additional soil concentrically around the first tube, such that about half of the second tube extends below ground level, and about half of the first tube extends above ground level.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional side view is shown of the larger seedling 38 of FIG. 4, grown even larger 38 into the soil 42 of second tube 40 after the first tube 32 has been pulled up and removed, leaving the seedling 38 and the soil 35 and 42, so as to allow the roots of seedling 38 to grow from the soil 35 into the soil 42 contained within the second tube 40.

[0086] With reference to FIG. 6, a side view of a plant and a cross-sectional side view of the second tube 40 of FIG. 5 is shown. The second tube 40 has a plant support structure 60 placed into the top end of the second tube 40, such that the plant support structure 60 is stabilized by an inner wall of the top end of the second tube 40. Thus, the plant 38 can grow taller, and the root structure of the plant 38 can grow even further into the soil 42 from the soil 35.

[0087] Referring next to FIG. 7A, a flow chart is presented of a method 700 for growing plants from seedlings using plant care tubes, such as those shown in FIGS. 1-6.

[0088] To grow a plant from a seedling using a plant care tube of the invention, first one must select 702 a first tube 12 (or 22 or 32, for example), of a width and a length that is sized so as to accommodate a seedling 38 during the early stages of growth.

[0089] Then, one removably attaches 704 a bottom 14, for example, having attachment features 18 to a bottom end 13 of the first tube having cooperative attachment features 16, so as to thereby form a nursery pot 10.

[0090] Next, one fills 706 the nursery pot 10 with soil.

[0091] Then, one plants seeds 708 in the soil, and allows the seeds to grow into seedlings having roots that are too large for the nursery pot.

[0092] When the seedlings become too large for the nursery pot 10, one removes 710 the bottom 14 from the first tube 12.

[0093] Then, the first tube 12 (or 32) along with the seedlings 38 and the soil 35 are placed 712 into prepared ground 42 such that half of the first tube 12 (or 32) extends below ground level, and half of the first tube 12 (or 32) extends above ground level.

[0094] Referring next to FIG. 7B, the flow chart of FIG. 7A is continued, further presenting the method 700 for growing plants from seedlings using plant care tubes, such as those shown in FIGS. 1-6.

[0095] It may be necessary to add to or remove soil from the top end 11 of the first tube 12 (or 32) so as to leave a volume of space at the top end 11 of the first tube 12 (or 32) that is sufficient to receive a quantity of water that is judged to be appropriate for the particular seedlings in the tube, the particular soil, and the particular local weather conditions, according to one of average skill in the art.

[0096] Then, the quantity of water is provided regularly 714 to the top end 11 of the first tube 12 (or 32).

[0097] Next, a second tube 40 is selected 716, the second tube 40 being of a greater width than the first tube 32, and of a greater length than the first tube 32, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0098] Then, the second tube 40 is placed 718 into prepared ground 42 surrounding the first tube 32 such that half of the second tube 40 extends below ground level, and half of the second tube 40 extends above ground level.

[0099] Next, the first tube 32 is pulled up and removed 720, leaving the seedling 38 and the soil 35, so as to allow the roots of seedling 38 to grow from the soil 35 into the prepared ground 42 contained within the second tube 40, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0100] It may be necessary to add to or remove soil from the top end 11 of the second tube 40 so as to leave a volume of space at the top end of the second tube 40 that is sufficient to receive a quantity of water that is judged to be appropriate for the particular seedlings in the tube, the particular soil, and the particular local weather conditions, according to one of average skill in the art.

[0101] Then, the quantity of water is provided regularly 722 to the top end of the second tube 40.

[0102] As the plant 38 grows even larger, it can be advantageous to place a plant support structure 60 into a top end of the second tube 40, such that the plant support structure 60 is stabilized by an inner wall of the top end of the second tube 40, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0103] Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the above description is not intended to limit the invention, except as indicated in the following claims.