Abstract: A method of clearing fungal spores from seed by immersing the seed in an aqueous solution including dissolved inert gas and sonicating the seed at a frequency preferably of between about 15 kHz and about 30 kHz and an energy density of between about 1 watt/cm2 and about 10 watts/cm2 for a period of between 0.1 minute and about 15 minutes.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a plant cultivation mat which can be applied to those existing buildings, and which does not require large amount of time, labor and cost for its laying and removing works, and a method for laying such plant cultivation mat, as well. According to the invention, there is provided a plant cultivation mat, comprising one or a plurality of cells with water-passage ports being perforated in the vicinity of the bottom part thereof, said one or a plurality of cells constituting a mat frame disposed in a depressed form to permit the top part thereof to open, and an inwardly recessed part being formed at the lower required part of the side wall of said cell. When this plant cultivation mat is to be laid, arrangement is made as to forming a space having a required route at the inwardly recessed part of the cell so as to form a space having a required routein the inwardly recessed part of the cell.

Abstract: A teatcup liner (1) which is intended for being mounted in a teatcup shell (2) comprises a tubular head portion (4) forming a passage for receiving a teat. The passage extends between a first and a second axial end of the tubular head portion. The tubular head portion has an annular lip (8), which in the mounted as well as the non-mounted state of the teatcup liner (1) extends radially inwardly from the tubular head portion. Furthermore, the teatcup liner comprises a tubular shaft portion (5), which extends from a second axial end (7) of the head portion, and a member (14), which is arranged to provide a radially outwardly directed pretension in the lip in the mounted as well as the non-mounted state of the teatcup liner (1), and is located outside said passage. A method of manufacturing such a teatcup liner comprises the steps of moulding the teatcup liner, expanding the head portion, and providing the pretensioning member.

Abstract: A houseplant maintenance device includes a base which acts as a water reservoir and which receives a potted plant therein. The pot is received in a gasket which is secured to the base. Embedded in the gasket is a support ring including downwardly angled cups, which receives hanging rods to allow hanging the device. The gasket is the color of the pot when the pot is wet, which gives a visual reference for determining the moisture content of the soil in the pot. The gasket is movably secured to the base by a set of lets which are received in a set of tracks inside the base. A wick is also provided for drawing moisture from within the base to the soil in the pot, the wick being encased by a water-impervious material. Other wicks are also constructed to convey mineral nutrients into the soil. A tongue-and-groove assembly on the bottom of the base allows the device to be removably secured in place.

Abstract: A rigid, hollow, bottomless container for transporting and displaying a seed ball which includes a sleeve extending about the container that allows printed indicia to be located on the exterior of the container. The container is comprised of a number of side walls integrally or separately formed and connected to form the container. Each side wall contains an upper and lower ridge on opposite ends of a central panel which define a channel extending around the exterior of the container. The sleeve is formed of a resilient material and is positioned about the container within the channel and allows an individual to display printed material on the exterior of the container, by printing directly on the sleeve, or by placing preprinted cards between the sleeve and the side wall that rest on the lower ridge of the side walls of the container.

Abstract: The invention relates to a completely biodegradable hydrogel comprising polyester polyurethane polyurea containing urea groups as well as polysaccharides and/or their derivatives, the hydrogel containing plant material capable of dividing. The invention also relates to a process for the embedding of the biological material and the fabrication and shaping of the hydrogels from aqueous solutions. The hydrogels according to the invention may be used as coating material for embedding biological material capable of dividing, especially plant material, preferably plant cells, protoplasts, plant tissues and plant organs, as well as zygotic or somatic plant embryos, under sterile conditions for the purpose of protecting the material during storage, transport and handling. The hydrogels according to the invention may also contain further additives, for example, plant protection agents or nutrients. The embedded biological plant material according to the invention may be used as artificial seed.

Abstract: A bulb casing encases a plant bulb and properly positions, feeds and protects the plant bulb, in a biodegradable casing including two joinable, substantially hemispheric cavity members, preferably having plant nutritional supplements on or in an inside surface adjacent to the bulb's outer surface and rodent repellent materials on or in the outside surface thereof. The plant nutritional supplements can be plant food, such as bone meal. Artificial rodent repellents such as mothball materials or biodegradable, non-toxic chemicals such as cayenne pepper can be used. Preferably, the hemispheric cavity members are formed out of biodegradable cardboard or cellulosic material, such as moldable paper pulp or starch resins, so that the casings will degrade in the ground as the bulb grows to a plant.

Abstract: A flowerpot comprises a first pot for excess water, a second pot provided on top of the first pot to hold soil and a plant therein and having a screen on the bottom thereof and a pump having an inlet extending into the first pot from the second pot and an outlet communicating with the inlet. The pump is to pump the water in the first pot to the second pot via the inlet and the outlet, such that the water is able to be recycled by means of the screen. Furthermore, insects depend mainly on water to breed no longer have access to the water in the first pot due to the isolation by the second pot.

Abstract: Drainage/feeder apparatus allows a vessel such as a pot to be advantageously drained of and supplied with fluids. The inventive drainage apparatus includes a drainage/feeder member including a base member, a drainage channel member and a feeder channel member. The base member is affixed to a portal of the vessel so as to allow drainage and feeding of fluids when the vessel is filled with soil. Water gravitationally drains out of the portal and into the drainage channel member, so as to dispose of the water at a selected distance away from the portal. The waste water can be further channeled away from the pot by engaging a hose member to the channel member in order to channel the liquid farther away. Likewise, water, fertilizer or the like is introduced into the interior of the pot via the portal and the drainage channel member. The drainage/feeder member can be affixed to the pot by a laminated adhesive layer or alternatively by caulking.

Abstract: A seedling growth-enhancing device is disclosed, consisting of a circular tube formed from flexible, non-opaque thermoplastic material having a slit formed over its length. The tube is of sufficient size as to substantially enclose the seedling, and the plastic material is inherently resilient so that the device is normally biased into its tubular configuration. The opposed edges of the slit are fastened at the top and bottom to permit the edges to be resiliently spread at an intermediate point to permit access to the seedling for maintenance. Also disclosed are an H-clip for releasably fastening the opposed edges and a wire hanger for suspending the circular tube from an overhead suspension wire.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controllably delivering water from a moisturizing agent to plant tissue. The angled insertion end of a delivery tube is placed in the soil in close proximity to the root system of a plant. An insert containing moisturizing agent is opened at an end to expose the moisturizing agent and then placed through the receiving end of the delivery tube and into the hollow bore thereof. A cap is then removably placed over the receiving end to seal the insert within the hollow bore of the delivery tube, thereby reducing loss of moisture to evaporation and preventing foreign matter or insects from migrating into the tube. An exhausted insert is replaced by removing the cap, withdrawing the empty insert, and placing a new insert within the hollow bore of the delivery tube. Alternatively, moisturizing agent can be directly injected into the delivery tube, for example, from a tank or canister.

Abstract: A flowerpot device has a base seat, an outer pot disposed on the base seat, an inner pot disposed in the outer pot, an annular sponge disposed in the inner pot, a collar disposed on the annular sponge, an annular water container disposed on the collar, and a hollow decoration casing enclosing the outer pot. The base seat has an annular threaded center portion, air-permeable web holes, a threaded hole, drain apertures, and a first alarm device. The inner pot has reinforced ribs and drain holes. The annular water container has an annular interior, a water inlet hole, through apertures, and a second alarm device.

Abstract: A wire bench tray is disclosed for use in a greenhouse environment, such tray moving over support roller pipes and having an upper surface and a lower structure defining a plurality of channels with openings therein in which to receive heating and/or irrigation tubing passing therethrough.

Abstract: A sprout cultivation box with an automatic water regulating and balancing device provides a precise-controlled, automatic, and complete cultivation environment for performing continually the soakage, sprouting, and cultivating processes of beans or seeds within the box, and for saving the water resources as well as the cost at no price of the quality and production. The present invention comprise a reinforce box capable for duplicate stacking, a permeable elastic cover, a carrier plate with a plurality of tiny compartments for anchoring beans, an elastic engaging means for rapidly connecting and disconnecting the permeable elastic cover from the box, and the water-feeding device for precisely and automatically regulating the water circulation inside the sprout cultivation box.

Abstract: A self-watering tray includes a plate and a leg. The leg is filled with a material which provides a fluid conduit capable of draining water or fluid from a plant pot or box into the plate and of sucking water from the plate to the plant pot or box when needed. The plant pot or box can be a conventional plant pot or box. The top end of the leg is inserted into the plant pot or box. In addition, a self-watering pot-shaped apparatus is disclosed to allow fluid to be sucked or drained from one section of the apparatus to another section of the apparatus. Further, the tray or pot-shaped apparatus includes air vents on its side walls. Various arrangements and configurations of the tray and pot/tray are implemented in the self-watering pot-shaped apparatus.

Abstract: A potted plant turntable including a base and a rotating dish. The rotating dish supports a potted plant which is slowly rotated with the dish to allow even exposure of the plant to sunlight. The dish rests on a bearing collar of the base and is gear driven by an AC or solar powered motor. A rheostat controls the rotation speed in increments of hours, days, weeks, or months. A programmable timer keypad provides for pre-changing of the different speed settings. A heating element is positioned under the dish, and the top section of the base adjacent the dish carries a fiber optic ring that encircles the dish. Both ultrasonic and chemical pest repellant accessories are provided in the base.

Abstract: A landscaping tarp for being positioned about an object such as a bush or small tree set in a bed of rocks, stones or wood chips. The tarp covers the rocks, stones or wood chips about the bush or small tree such that, when the bush or small tree is trimmed, the cut leaves and twigs fall on the landscaping tarp instead of onto and into the bed of rocks, stones or wood chips, out of which it is difficult to rake leaves and twigs and out of which it is tedious and laborious to pick out the leaves and twigs by hand. The tarp includes a first opening that is positioned about the bush or small tree. The first opening is resiliently biased to a closed position to fit snugly when shaped about the base of the bush or small tree. When the tarp is removed from the base, the first opening is drawn shut by overlapping two half portions and attaching quick connectors to each other to prevent the cut leaves and twigs which are gathered in the tarp from falling through the first opening.

Abstract: The automatic watering pot is a flower pot with an automatic watering device for dispensing water into the soil at or below the root level of a potted plant. The automatic watering device has a bottle which serves as a water reservoir, a cap for the bottle having a rotary valve, a delivery tube inserted into the cap, and a dispersion fitting at the free end of the delivery tube. The automatic watering device is disposed with the bottle inverted above the level of the soil, the delivery tube extending into the soil, and the dispersion fitting to a depth equal to or below the level of the roots. The bottle is made from a translucent or transparent material, and may have a float so that the water level may be visually discerned. The cap has a rotary valve so that the flow of water from the bottle to the delivery tube may be cut off by rotating the cap when it is necessary to refill the bottle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plant tray for holding and supporting potted plants. The invention includes a spacer support rack and at least one riser with a ring at its topmost surface. Within the ring is a plurality of tabs for supporting plant pots of different sizes. The spacer support rack is configured to allow equal spacing between the plants when placed in the plant tray. This allows for optimization of the health of the plant and the space available to the grower. The spacer support rack is constructed in a manner that multiple plant trays can be nested on top of each other, allowing them to be stored in a directly vertical arrangement maximizing the use of the storage space available.

Abstract: A self watering tray apparatus for supporting a pot having a plant therein includes a tray for holding a fluid having a bottom and a side wall, a support being retained between the bottom and side wall of the tray, and a plug-in leg or wick filled with a fluid absorbing material such as soil or wick. The plug-in leg wicks up the fluid to the soil whenever the fluid is needed by the plant and drains the fluid down to the tray whenever the fluid in the pot is excessive to the plant.