Abstract: An animal guard for tree trunks comprising an annular flexible plate having a central circular opening and a skirt portion completely around the central opening; at least one slot extending through the skirt forming the plate into a separable member having abutting edges; a pair of spaced fastener holes in the skirt radially aligned and positioned adjacent one abutting edge of the slot; an inner and an outer spaced parallel arcuate slot in the skirt radially spaced from one another and positioned so that the fastener holes and the slots cooperate with each other when the plate is positioned in a truncated conical position about a tree trunk; the inner slot and associated fastener hole being a substantial distance closer to the inner periphery of the plate than the outer slot and associated fastener hole is to the outer periphery so as to not provide a gripping surface for an animal attempting to pass the guard.

Abstract: A combination portable plant pot and trellis has a pot for growing plants, flowers, vines and the like and a preferably circumferential trellis extending above the pot and detachably attached thereto. The preferred attachment means have downwardly extending extensions on support posts of the trellis, and these extensions have a lip to engage ledges along the side of the pot and are reachable through apertures in the pot rim. This secures the trellis to the pot and provides the necessary upper support for the branches and vines of growing plants to expose them to maximum sunlight and air.

Abstract: Apparatus for carrying plants periodically to a watering station while ensuring that said plants are uniformly exposed to light. The apparatus includes at least one conveyor in the form of an endless cable disposed about a pair of spaced drums. One of the drums is driven by a motor to cause the cable to be circulated about the drums. The cable supports a plurality of plant hangers at spaced locations there along. Each hanger is arranged so that when a plant is suspended therefrom it is in a first orientation arranged to trip a sensor at the watering station to water the plant. The hanger is also arranged to automatically assume a second orientation when no plant is suspended therefrom. In the second orientation the hanger does not trip the sensor at the watering station. The cable is arranged to be driven at a slower speed during watering operations and at a higher speed during plant loading and unloading operations.

Abstract: The present invention is a nursery stock container which is disassembled, at the time the plant is transplanted, in a manner which does not cause damage to the root ball of the plant. Each container has a wall member with spaced slots formed therein near a bottom edge and a base with an upstanding peripheral flange and peripheral tabs extending through the slots, which are removably secured together to form a cylindrical enclosure. To support the wall member and maintain the cylindrical configuration various retaining mechanisms may be used, each of which may be readily removed and disposed of at the time of transplanting.

Abstract: An edging strip useful in landscaping and other uses. The edging strip is an aluminum elongate extrusion having a generally uniform thickness. The strip, in vertical orientation thereof, has plural elongated grooves in one side thereof extending lengthwise of the strip and being vertically spaced from one another. The strip further has plural ribs projecting outwardly from an opposite side thereof and opposite the grooves at a vertical location on the aforesaid opposite side coinciding with the location of the aforesaid grooves. Each of the grooves has a pair of vertically spaced sidewall surfaces and a vertically upright bottom wall surface. The lowermost sidewall surface of each groove has a wall surface that is flat and inclined to the horizontal and defining an acute angle with the bottom wall surface.

Abstract: A growing system for vines which is particularly applicable to kiwi fruit which uses an espalier arrangement. The system is such that a canopy of branches are supported while at the same time divergent branches which will form part of the canopy in the ensuing season are supported upwardly in a divergent manner above the canopy. The invention also consists in the frames and framing systems.

Abstract: A herbicide applicator, of the wiping type, comprises an elongate loop of flexible, solid wick material extending along and depending freely from a vertically adjustable frame member. The loop is suitably formed of polypropylene carpeting. Deployed within the loop is a conduit having spaced, upwardly directed spray nozzles. A tank and pump are connected with the conduit to supply pressurized herbicide liquid through the nozzles, whereby it is applied to the loop wall and spreads therealong. The loop has a broad lowermost end section for applying the herbicide to weeds and holding a quantity of fluid for coping with occasional dense weed patches. A pulsing switch operates the pump as required to vary the rate of delivery of liquid to the loop wall, whereby the quantum of applied liquid can be adjusted to the demand.

Abstract: A rotatable planter and a method of producing such planter wherein the planter includes a thermoplastic tube with a plurality of pockets therein, a bottom and means for supporting the tube so that it is rotatable either by the wind to which it is exposed or by a stand on which it is supported. The improved method includes the steps of cutting a plurality of radial slots in a tube of preselected length, heating the area above and below each slot and forming the upper portion of the pocket above the slot inward and forming the lower portion of the pocket below the slot outward.

Abstract: A hanging planter having a pot and separate stringers for suspension. The pot is formed with at least a pair of loops integral with its lips into which the stringers are held for transportation, display, and storage.

Abstract: Collars, for supporting plants by the base of their stems with the major portion of the root structure extending downward into an aqueous hydroponic medium, have upstanding sidewalls and bottom end structures that support the plant while leaving at least about 75 percent of the bottom area open for the roots to extend through. The collars are very small having a volume less than about one tenth that which would normally be considered adequate to conventionally culture plants in a solid support medium. Vertical foils extend radially inward from the sidewall to prevent the roots, in their early stages of development, from spiraling around the sidewall.

Abstract: A trellis assembly for grape vines, and other vines, and which includes an upright stake, a cross-arm secured to the upper end of the stake, tensioned trellis wires which are received in slotted holes at the ends of the cross-arm in a sliding relationship with the cross-arm, and clips mounted on the trellis wires at the ends of the cross-arm which extend over the ends of the cross-arm and engage the trellis wires to prevent any tendency for the cross-arm to turn and collapse due to the weight of the vines supported thereby.

Abstract: A system for the automated cultivation of plants includes a plurality of guide rail pairs which support conveyor driven jigs carrying individual plants thereon. As the plants are driven by the conveyors, the driving elements or dogs on successive conveyors are increasingly spaced, so as to allow for the steady growth of the plants. The guide rails are arranged in a radial array to allow for increasing side-wise plant clearance, and are orificed as a means of providing the plants with air and nutrients.

Abstract: A plant support includes a loosely fitting housing which is receivable by a plant stake and provides flexible non-rigid support elements connectible to the housing and extending downwardly therefrom for supporting the plant. Slots are provided in the housing through which flexible straps are received that are utilized to support a plant on the stake. Openings are provided in the housing for the attachment of additional cords and straps. The housing is hollow thereby allowing storage of the flexible support elements within the housing when the plant support is not in use.

Abstract: A one-piece, integrally formed tie apparatus is provided for releasably suspending a vine or the like from a line. A line engaging portion releasably engages the line and a vine holding portion loosely surroundingly holds the vine or the like. The vine holding portion comprises an elongate flexible arm integrally depending from the line engaging portion and elastically deformable to define a loop for loosely surrounding the vine or the like. A first coupling means is integrally formed with the flexible arm. A second coupling means is adapted to connect with the first coupling means to form the flexible arm into a closed loop around the vine or the like. One of the coupling means is responsive to application of a predetermined amount of force to the flexible arm substantially in at least one direction for releasing the other coupling means to open the loop and permit removal of the vine or the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a planter which is vertically stackable and interlockable with further like planters. The planter includes a lower end which is interlockable with a first like planter from beneath and an upper end which is interlockable from above with a second like planter. The upper end of the planter is further provided with a planting region remote from the interlocking region between planters and exposed beneath the second like planter positioned above the planting region.

Abstract: A plant cultivating device enables plant cultivation by effective use of the floor's dimension at a place of high cost per unit dimension of the floor on the building erected in the urban district.The plant cultivating device comprises a cylinder and an upper plate for covering the upper portion of said cylinder. The cylinder being constructed by combining two side plates, the side surface of which is unitarily formed. The upper plate being constructed with transparent material.

Abstract: An improved vine trainer is disclosed which is readily assembled and disassembled to become portable in kit form. A central stake is comprised of a plurality of interconnected sections. A number of rods, shorter in length than the central stake, are stacked and crossed with each rod bisecting the others and are removably affixed to the upper portion of the central stake. The rods are formed with openings on each end for receiving twine, wire, or the like, and secured to ground stakes which are inserted into the earth or potting soil of a potted plant, providing a substantially vertical and rigid surface on which plant vines can grow.

Abstract: A floating bed useful for hydroponically germinating seeds of a plant and growing the germinated sprouts thereon. The floating bed is floatable by itself on water and includes a pad formed of a hydrophobic material such as foamed polystyrene and provided with one or more through holes. The through holes have a size so that it can continually retain water therein by capillary attraction during the float of the bed on water. The seeds are placed on the pad and the floating bed is floated on the surface of water to allow the seeds to germinate and the germinated sprouts to grow with the roots thereof passing through the through holes.

Abstract: A device for detecting a seedling. A row of detectors determine the presence or absence of a seedling at positions in a two dimensional grid, one row at a time. A comb has teeth spaced to fit between rows of the seedlings. Each tooth carries a light source on one side and a light detector on the other. Each light detector receives light from the light source on the adjacent tooth. When a seedling is present, the light is interrupted. A memory stores the position of the present seedlings so that cells having no seedlings may be removed.

Abstract: One or more plant growing trays are supported on a tubular support frame constructed of plastic pipe to provide an attractive support for the plant growing trays and to also provide a storage chamber for the proper volume of fluid growing solution. The fluid growing solution is periodically supplied to the plant growing trays by air pressure entering the tubular growing solution storage chamber and then the fluid growing solution drains from the plant growing trays and back into the tubular storage chamber. A timer control device is provided to control the periodic supplying of the air pressure to force the fluid growing solution into the plant growing trays.