GB2477216A - Planter with stackable extension sections - Google Patents

Abstract

A planter10in particular for potatoes comprises a base and one or more telescopic extension tiers12configured for inter-nesting in a collapsed form, or extended and mutually supported as a stack. The base and each tier may have a respective integral circumferential trough13at or near its upper edge with an aperture26through the intervening wall, for passage of irrigation water30from the trough to a growing medium within planter. Complementary profile longitudinal surface ribs17and recesses19in the base and upper tier walls allow mutual sliding inter-fit. Notches23in the underside edge rim of upper tiers locate upon ends of ribs of a juxtaposed tier. The arrangement allows cultivation in progressively built-up deeper layers of growing medium, to promote tuber growth in a potato plant. Also disclosed is a planter comprising a base and one or more demountable extension tiers for mutual stacking support.

Description

Potato Planter A planter for a growing or cultivation medium, specifically a bespoke potato planter configuration for potato plant and root tuber growth. Although the emphasis is upon horticulture, that term can be regarded interchangeably herein with agriculture or personal domestic use.

Various purpose-built and informal self-build planter pots have been devised with either flexible fabric (bags) or solid walls for cultivating potato plants from a seed potato in a growing medium outside ground soil. Such confined cultivation is useful where space limitations preclude open ground planting. Portable planters can be (re-)located for optimum exposure to sunlight and rain, or shelter from frost. Moreover they allow use of controlled ingredient, disease-free growing medium or compost mixes. Once used, they can be cleaned and sterilised for re-use with fresh medium to avoid inherited disease or contamination. It is also somewhat easier to access and retrieve potato root tubers in the course of an overall plant cultivation cycle. Top surface applied watering and nutrients can be more efficiently used in the cultivation regime. Adequate growing space must be balanced with excessive expensive compost usage. A disease free seed potato specially grown for the purpose is a preferred starting point. Multiple potatoes spread over the surface area can be cultivated together. Staged planting can effectively extend the growing season. Although the emphasis is upon potatoes, other root crops can be grown.

As plant upper growth proceeds and its tubular root system develops, the upper growth needs support of bulkier embedded root mass. Challenges arise in reflecting traditional open ground soil cultivation techniques, such as trenching or earthing-up, to promote tuber grown and preserve tuber under-soil concealment. Initial planting depth is another factor to promote vertical rather than horizontal growth spread.

Some planters are bulky, including tubs, some 12 inches in diameter and 2-3 feet in depth. Bottom drainage provision can include gravel or broken pottery fragments to preserve open channels to base drainage apertures. A lower weed suppressant barrier membrane can also be fitted.

Prior Art

Multiple tiered planters, some with irrigation routing provision, have been devised for vertical climbing plants; such as US 5,428,922 Johnson US 4,419,843 Johnson Sr a stackable planter per US 7,043,877 Jensen a vertical planting system per US 6,840,008 Bullock also US 6,612,073 US 6,092,332 US 4,825,592 Some are concerned to provide an external cluster, or drooping chain tail effect from a columnar grouping of a plurality of spatially distributed discrete cultivating regions, others a (vertical) continuum.

Tiers or levels may reflect a compact stacking configuration within a common shared (base) footprint for a nested array or constrained relative disposition of otherwise discrete mutually separable or severable planters. An upright stance allows a greater cubic capacity of growing medium for a given platform or floor area.

Another consideration is re-configuration for compact storage for shipment and when not in use.

Interchangeability of elements for spares and repair with a certain commonality, reproducibility or repetition to allow substitution would offer economies. Independent use of sub-components might also be contemplated. Operationally, a ready transition between packed, intermediate and erected state A further consideration is regulated moisture content ol and consistent or even distribution through the growing medium, without local puddling or pooling accumulation or dry out. Local irrigation tanks or reservoirs have been proposed for raising moisture levels, but without resolving issues of under or over watering which in turn requires consideration of relative levels. A modest, gravity fed (an surplus overflow discharge) moisture dosing regime, such as by continual trickle or drip feed for progressive infiltration rather than sudden soaking or immersion is preferable. A facility to top-up, regulate levels and drain the reservoir or growing medium could be contrived according to some aspects of the present invention. Moisture can percolate or wick' from a reservoir into the body of a growing medium.

Overall, the prior art planters identified represent somewhat inflexible, fixed-format, overly-elaborate constructions in both assembly and operational use, with attendant adverse manufacturing costs. A simple, robust, reliable more integrated planter configuration is desirable.

A single or mono level grow bag orientated planter with peripheral water trough collar is also known from GB 2,261,583 of one of the present Applicants, Pettyfer. That was configured for certain plants, specifically tomato plants. The present invention pays attention to experience with that limited mono-level format, but with an alternative, wider and more flexible plant suitability, in an extended, taller developed, structure, with adjustability, nesting, stacking and stability considerations resolved, whist preserving compact base footprint confines. This offers advantages of flexibility over a larger fixed-format container, such as a so-called potato barrel or flexible fabric wall planter bag, with a modest ground footprint, but significant depth greater than the diameter.

Terrazzo and terracotta ceramic pottery, zinc plated metal, timber and plastics materials are common.

For fabric bags woven polyethylene is known. Informal ad hoc stacked planters have also been devised from discarded tyres.

Seed potatoes (disease-free tubers) that have just started to sprout or chit' are used with different timings. Covering with more growing medium follows plant shoot growth. Such so-called earthing up' stops light reaching the tubers, which would turn them green. Initial planting is upon circa 10cm bed of compost, followed by another 10cm layer, then more with monitored growth. Ongoing (liquid) feeding and watering and to prevent drying out. This until harvesting before or when the foliage starts to turn yellow.

Statement of Invention

The present invention provides a variable profile planter, selectively adjustable to reflect plant growth, configured as a multiple row, layer, level or tiered potato planter, with a plurality of containers or containerised growing regions. The container diameter is optimised for vertical growth, by inhibiting too much lateral spread. A covering or earthing up /over depth of some 4 inches is desirable, and can be achieved with the help of an internal container level marking.

According to one aspect of the present invention, in a horticultural cultivation planter with local containment of a growing medium, a telescopic interfitting drum or sleeve format is adopted, for vertical extension of a base drum container with a closed or perforated floor or demountable platform base plinth. For economy of manufacture a common format tier would be desirable. A stubby tubular or annular ring format would be convenient.

Conveniently, the containers are inter-nested for telescopic relative dispositional adjustment. In particular an upright or vertical stack of planters disposed to stand one upon another, feature a nesting inter-fit, for mutual location and collective stability, with the weight of the growing medium infil being greater at lower levels.

A series of circumferentially-spaced, longitudinal, upright orientated ribs can be used for preserving mutual alignment of interfitting containers and inhibiting relative rotation.

A profiled upper end, such as a marginal internal rim up-stand, can be used for a secure location of fully extended or elevated containers, in a stack with one resting upon another. The intention would be to avoid inadvertent stack dislodgement, level uncoupling, and collapse upon casual impact.

In a particular construction, a plurality, specifically three, mutually telescopic interfitting containers or tiers are deployed, each with a peripheral or circumferential rim configured as a shallow trough with interconnection such as through an aperture in a common internal container and trough wall at a prescribed level to the interior of the respective container.

Whilst more tiers are feasible, issues of toppling stability and collapse arise, but for which special provision can be made.

For cultivation of taller individual plants, or plants with natural vertical development, and to allow growth progression from a younger or immature shallower to an older or more mature and taller form, a cultivation medium containment and support structure which can be developed' or extended vertically, yet remain stable against collapse or toppling over to one side would be desirable.

Alternatively, multiple discrete shorter plants can be stacked one upon another, allowing greater space utilisation or plant density.

For ease incremental build or dismantling, transport and storage, a break-down of the structure into subsidiary parts is envisaged in the present invention. Those elements are desirably rotationally fast upon assembly and interlock, latching or mutual abutment.

To this end a tiered structure would be convenient, particularly with some provision for mutual interlock between successive tiers. One or more discrete locking wedges could be fitted between principal components to secure them together securely. An alternative would be an integral interlocking profile, such as between interfacing or interaction ledges, ribs or recesses.

A circular or at least curved or rounded planform or footprint is convenient for rotational symmetry of construction, assembly interfit and optional interlock and to allow a compact internested collapsed form. That said, other curved or rounded forms, including a conic sections (ovals or ellipses), multi-lobed and/or re-entrant forms allowing sub-compartmentalisation, and rectangular or multi-faceted polygons with chamfered corner edges could serve.

The surface area shape size and depth of the growing medium admits of considerable variation according to plant type and planting density and is bounded and so dictated by the containment. In a given container, growing medium can be shared in common or sub-divided, say in pockets, between discrete plants. Fixed or removable divider partitions to create sectors or segments could be fitted to define such compartmentalisation. This is useful for plant sub-division, or taking cuttings towards plant stock reproduction or multiplication.

A solid infill, continuous tub wall is a simpler format, but more elaborate, say, perforated walls, such as a grid or mesh, can both bound or contain growing medium and permit hydration and/or aeration. The roots and/or stems of certain plant types with spreading, climbing or rambling characteristics can be allowed to penetrate and emerge through such side walls. Wall thickness can be varied locally for strength and stiffness or to provide pronounced mounting ledges, ribs or other protrusions on the inside or outside for securing other elements or for direct plant support.

Embodiments There now follows a description of some particular embodiments of the invention, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic and schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 A shows a 3-D perspective view from one upper side of a planter with outer upper peripheral rim trough and juxtaposed annular base plinth; Figure lB shows a 3-D perspective view of the elements of Figure 1A inter-fitted, so the base serves as a peripheral locating collar and bracing support; Figure 2A shows a 3-D perspective view of an inter-nested erected stack of planters achieved by adding two successive layers or tiers to the base module of Figure 1 B; Figure 2B shows a 3-D perspective view of a fully collapsed mode of Figure 2A collection; Figure 3A shows an upper plan view of an individual planter drum, of Figure 1 B; Figure 3B shows a side elevation of one side of an individual planter drum; Figure 3C shows an opposite side elevation from Figure 3B; Figure 3D shows a transverse diametral cross-section along the line x-x' of Figure 3A; Figure 3E shows an underside view of the planter drum of Figure 3A; Figures 4A through 4F show views of a planter base plinth, with optional push-out plugs to create drainage apertures; more specifically Figure 4A shows a side elevation of Figure 4C; Figure 4B shows a transverse diametral section along the line x-x' of Figures 4A; Figure 4C shows an upper plan view of a planter base plinth; Figure 4D shows an underside view of the base of Figures 4A through 4C; Figures 4E and 4F show local enlargement sectional detail on along the lines Y and Y' in FIgure 4C; Figure 4E shows a drainage aperture fitted with a blanking plug; Figure 4F shows a drainage aperture with blanking plug of Figure 4E removed; Figures 4G to 41 show a sectional view of a variant with base drum with integral floor, rather than as part of a demountable plinth as with Figures 4A to 4 F; Figure 4G shows a plan view of a base module with integral base floor panel, with local apertures and optional corresponding blanking plug fitment; Figure 4H shows a local sectional detail of Figure 4G with blanking plug fitted into a drainage aperture; Figure 41 shows a corresponding view to Figure 4H, but with blanking plug removed to allow drainage aperture access; Figures 5A and 5B show an open-bottom base drum and juxtaposed base plinth; more specifically Figure 5A shows a side elevation of an exploded base module, with juxtaposed base drum and base plinth; Figure 5B shows a transverse diametral cross-section of Figure 5A; Figures 6A and 6B show an assembled base drum and base plinth of Figures 5A and 5B; more specifically Figure 6A shows a side elevation of assembled base module; Figure 6B shows a transverse diametral cross-section of Figure 6A; Figures 7A and 7B show respectively an erected and collapsed planter stack; more specifically Figure 7A shows a side elevation of telescopic extended, mutually interfitting drums or tiers; Figures 7B show a collapsed planter stack; Figure 8A and 8B show respectively a transverse diametral cross-sections of an erected or extended and collapsed stack of Figures 7A and 7B; more specifically Figure 8A shows a side elevation of a telescopic collapsed planter drum stack, with respective drums inter-nesting and irrigation troughs closely juxtaposed; Figure 8B shows a transverse diametral cross-section of Figure 7B; Figures 9Athrough 9J show cultivation stages with a single base stage module of Figures lA-B; Figures 1OA through 1OD show cultivation in a multiple tier planter variant of Figures 9A-9J;

Description of the drawings

Referring to the drawings, a multiple tiered or storey horticultural planter is of modular construction. It is configured for a rhizome (root stalk or stock) stem or root tuber crop, in particular a modified stolon high starch potato plant tuber. The planter 10 serves as a container for growing medium 20, such as a prescribed compost mix of nutrient and structural fibre elements, to preserve density, porosity for aeration and moisture without compaction.

The planter 10 is modular in form and built up in height progressively in stages, from a base unit 11 configured from an open top and bottom ended collar or sleeve drum or tub, with a demountable base plinth 14 with closed or perforated floor panel 24, set upon an annular collar stand and peripheral circumferential annular trough integrated with the outer wall at or near the upper marginal edge rim.

The construction features a succession of corresponding stacked mutually overlying layers or tiers 12, each configured as an open-ended cylindrical drum collar, sleeve or guide ring, with an integral outer peripheral circumferential collar 13 serving as an irrigation trough to receive water 30 and or liquid or dissolved nutrient, communicating through apertures 26 in the collar waIl 16 to the interior space for growing medium 20.

The number of tiers, in this case three including the base tier, reflects the anticipated growth height of the subject (potato) plant. For ease of manufacture through commonality and simple repetition, the base 11 and upper tiers 12 are generally similar, so a repetition of lower tiers is possible. The overall height bears a proportionate relationship to the footprint area for overall stability.

Multiple discrete interfitting tiers 12 allow the effective overall depth of the growing medium 20 to be varied according to plant growth stage and also to adjust for the balance between upper or above and lower or below ground soil' level.

The planter drum base 11 and tier 12 diameter and depth is chosen to allow root labyrinth spread for root tip end tuber development consistent with a low cot g. stable distributed mass support platform.

For a potato tuber crop, it is desirable to promote tuber growth at or from the root tips and to avoid excessive wasted' upper stem and foliage growth, at least beyond that necessary for tuber growth.

The balance of diversion of plant energy between tuber storage for a future plant (green) stem and leaf growth is an important contributor to a substantial potato crop yield. A visual indicator of plant stem yellowing transition from green can be used as an indicator of the need to raise local growing medium level around the stem and later growth maturity readiness for cropping, say by selectively removing some or all tubers and leaving the remainder of the plant intact. Excessive or decayed upper foliage may also be removed selectively if over-abundant, in favour of ongoing tuber development.

The tiered planter allows an individual plant or small local plant group or collection to be grown in conditions which reflect or mirror those which would be used out in open ground soil conditions, such as a potato bed or trench in a vegetable bed or patch. In particular, the tiers represent supplementary or added depth growing medium layers, which equate to those achieved with a so-called earthing up'

or layering' technique used out in the field'.

Each tier 12 allows introduction of more growing medium 20 as a spacing, bridging or transition layer with an underlying layer and which can be increased within that tier internal confines until nearly full, or another stacking tier ring 12 is installed.

Level marker indicia lines or ribs 25 are integrally moulded into the internal wall surface profile for ease of reference, as a optimum or maximum indicative soil' level unless another tier is to be added.

Water 30 from a local irrigation trough 13 is introduced at the upper margins of each tier 12, so moisture percolates inwardly through apertures 26 in the container wall and seeps downwards under gravity. The intention is to inhibit drying out of the growing medium, but without saturation, which could lead to fungal growth or tissue rot.

Construction The base 11 and upper tier rings 12 feature a series of circumferentially-spaced shallow longitudinal waisted profile rib internal projections 17, with corresponding external longitudinal recesses 19. The ribs 17 and recesses 19 serve for complementary male-female inter-fit.Thus, when aligned, internal ribs 17 on one tier 12 can locate and fit within external slots, grooves or recesses 19 on another juxtaposed (overlying) tier 12. Alternatively, the respective ribs 17 of each tier 12 allow for mutual location and stacking internest. The complementary rib 17 and recess 19 profiles also serve as an indexing guide for rotationally fast' tier 11, 12 alignment and mutual sliding inter-fit.

The upper end of each rib 19 features a shallow boundary land or ridge up-stand or ledge 21, as do the side or circumferential end margins 22, to help mutual location with an abutting rib of a stacked overlying tier. That is, once a tier 12 is stacked with notches 23 upon rib end lands 21, it is not inadvertently dislodged by casual contact.

As reflected in the Figures 2A-B and 7A-B, the inter-nested tiered array can transition from partially or fully collapsed to partially or fully erected form by a combination of rotary (or modest angular) and longitudinal relative movement between tiers to set or unset rib stacking.

In a fully collapsed, but inter-nested, mode of Figures 7B and 8B, the overall assembly depth is not much greater than that of the base tier 11 individually, as the upper two tiers 12 lie largely nested one within another and snug within the base 11 depth.

For extended or elevated stacking, the upper tiers 12 are reliant upon location of shallow notches 23 at or adjacent their lower peripheral wall rim edges upon the upper ends or internal rib projections 17 on a juxtaposed tier. At the upper end 21 of a rib 17 an internal up-stand ledge or rim 22 locates upon the margins of a notch 23.

Cultivation The drawings are merely loosely indicative of a possible cultivation technique or regime. Thus, Figures 7A through 7G reflect progressive growth of a potato plant from a sprouting single seed potato tuber within a base tier 11, with top-up of growing medium 20 to keep exposed upper stem and leaf foliage consistent with promoting root tip tuber growth. The associated circumferential annular ledge trough 13 can be used to water the growing medium 20 within the base container 11 confines from the upper level of that container, for downward percolation under gravity.

Small apertures, through hole passages or slits 26 in the container wall at or near the base of the troughs 13 can effectively throttle the flow of water 30 from trough into the container interior.

Advantage can be taken of surface tension effects to inhibit a torrential flow of water 30 from the troughs 13, which might otherwise unsettle, displace or saturate the growing medium.

Figures 8A through 8C depict a vertical extension of development of cultivation, by adding or extending successive tiers 12, each with respective irrigation troughs 13 for local watering of the growing medium 20. Collectively, the series of spaced irrigation levels conditions the overall mass of the growing medium 20 depth within the stacked containers 11. For simplicity, manual top-up of local trough water levels can be employed for an individual planter 10, although for multiple planters, say in commercial cultivation, more elaborate, say pipe and pump primed systems could be adopted. An integrated irrigation trough 13 has advantages over a demountable form, not least in sealing with the internal container sleeve.

For the particular potato crop planter of the subject example, two additional upper tiers 12 beyond a foundation base tub 11 are depicted. If cultivation demanded or justified, further tiers 12 could be used. For the proportions of the example planter, a total of three stages represents a pragmatic maximum for overall topple-resistant stability when empty or filled with growing medium. Container planter variants might adopt other proportions, such as taller, slimmer, squatter, bigger or smaller according to the potato variety, but that depicted is a generic format for a wide variety of potato crops.

The potato plant 40 is shown as generally self-supporting, with the bulk of its root undergrowth mass buried within the growing medium, but stakes could be inserted from the top surface and/or supported by the container body or wall. The number and size of tubers 41 varies with growth stage and variety type, with an objective to spread the stored energy between tubers, to which end timely careful local removal of larger more mature tubers 42, without overall root system disturbance could provide ongoing development of remaining lesser tubers. Tiered local access could facilitate this.

Once the base tub 11 is filled with growing medium, that content itself can help provide support for the superimposed weight of an upper tier 12 and its contents, to bolster the support given by the stacked ledges. A similar consideration applies to inhibition of relative rotation of the tiers 11, 12 which might otherwise risk dislodgement of the interfitting ribs and notches and consequent collapse of the stack.

A positive mechanical interaction and inter-fit between layers is advantageous in container structure load sharing and distribution, without adverse compaction of the lower levels of the growing medium by the weight of overlying planter structure. That is the higher level container walls are supported by lower levels. As the planter 10 is built up in height with successive tiers 12, its centre of gravity shifts upward, but with an inter-located structure of stacked containment walls, stays within the base foot print confines.

Overall the container 10 provides a stable sheltered, but adjustable (depth) profile environment for cultivation. This is advantageous for deeper rooted crops, such as potato plants.

The communication apertures or holes between irrigation trough 13 and respective container upper wall margins are conveniently configured as longitudinal slots or slits 26 from the upper wall edge rim.

The slits 26 can terminate at or close to the base of the trough. Water from the trough can thus penetrate the container wall and trickle down the inside surface. A circumferential array of such slits 26 helps for an even moisture distribution laterally inward and downward into the growing medium.

When not in use, the container is readily dismantled and its component elements cleaned and sterilised, ready for re-use and to inhibit transfer or cross-contamination by disease or pests.

Although a closed base 11 could be contemplated, as reflected in Figures 4G-l, a corresponding symmetrical format is conveniently used for the base tub 11 and upper tiers 12, so all tiers 11, 12 are equivalent, and the stacking order can be changed. Each level would thus have the form of an open-ended sleeve or collar, with end closure through separate base plinth 14. Removable or knock-out blanking plugs 27 could be fitted in base floor drainage apertures 28 for selective retention or removal according the bottom drainage regime required.

The degree of waisting or taper of the longitudinal outer recesses 19 and internal ribs 17 is modest, to allow long relative travel of a large proportion of the base 11 and tier 12 depth, for compact telescopic collapse and inter-nesting, the rotational inter-fit tolerance between tiers 11 12, and in particular between inter-located ribs 17 and recesses 19 is generous or slack, to promote a free sliding interfit, but one not readily clogged by say growing medium spillage.

In the illustrated example, some four equally circumferentially-spaced longitudinal ribs 17 and corresponding recesses 19 are set in a symmetrical circumferential array around each tier side wall 16. When stacked, a mutually supportive interaction is achieved between a corresponding array of notches 23 in the underside edge rim of each tier and ledges 21 at the upper ends of ribs 17 of a juxtaposed underlying tier 12, nested within shallow rim up-stands or protrusion lips 22 for positive mutual location.

A base support plinth 14 features a shallow tapered ledge profile circumferential support rim 18 of annular form, with an inner up-stand rim profile, of complementary rib and recess profiles, to locate with drum outer surface recesses 19 and inner surface ribs 17. An integral platform floor 24 has base drainage apertures 28 and optional snug or interference fit insertion knock-out blanking plugs 27.

Overall, the base plinth 14 is a snug inter-fit with the side wall of a base tub 11 for secure bracing stability. The base 14 serves as a demountable bottom end closure, without which the base tub 11 would itself have to have an integral floor and could thus no longer be a corresponding element to the upper tiers 12. Thus some economy of manufacture in component commonality would be sacrificed.

Base floor perforation by an array of apertures 28 allows a continuous moisture pathway from the upper surface of the growing medium 20 all the way down to the bottom and thence to exit. To promote this and help inhibit lower level consolidation and clogging larger granules or pebbles may be introduced as a high drainage permeability lower layer. Water retention would risk rotting of root end tubers. The additional watering through the respective through 13 at each tier 11, 12 obviates drying out of the growing medium without local saturation.

Cultivation Regime Generally, potatoes represent an important staple vegetable crop for domestic gardeners, with a recent trend to grow our own' purposeful recreational activity.

Potatoes fit well into a three year crop plan, so if grown outside could be allocated a third of a kitchen garden or allotment area. It is best not to exceed this area, for if potatoes are grown too often on the same plot of ground, there is a susceptibility to potato blight' and other disease, with less productive cropping.

Outdoors, the so-called trenching method is one of the most popular ways of planting in open ground, but this in turn necessitates a reasonable sized plot and not all gardens are large enough for such a dedicated area.

Over the years alternative growing methods have been used in order to achieve good crop yield from a smaller area. These include large pots, fabricated bags and bespoke plastic containers. These in turn, although productive, have their shortcomings in use.

The soil or growing medium 20 requirement for success is ideally a medium loam or compost that will not dry out too quickly and is still loose enough for the tuber to grown in. Using a stand-alone container allows selection and employment of the optimum soil available.

Good drainage is another important factor to minimise water-logging, causing rotting of tubers. At the same time accurate application of extra water ensures the plant will not dry out thus ensuring the tubers can grow in size. This is more achievable in a free-standing container with its own build in drainage base.

As the (potato) plant grows, its main (periodic) requirements are regular watering, feeding and so-called earthing up, to maintain the root immersion and tuber development. As the upper stem growth proceeds, rosettes of leaves form, earthing up is undertaken when the plants are some 15-18mm (6-8 inches) tall and is ideally repeated continually with topping up at 10cm (4 inch) increments, leaving the leading tips open to the light to continue growing.

The reason for covering up is to prevent any potato tubers from pushing through into sunlight. These would turn green by the sun, are not edible and should be discarded. At the same time earthing up potatoes promotes further growth upon which underground stolons increase (ale shoots on which the potato tubers form). This increase crop yield.

Reflecting these requirements, this invention provides a self-contained potato planter or raising apparatus or device for use in supplying water and liquid nutrition at appropriate levels, whilst allowing accurate earthing up at predetermined levels allowing the plant to mature unhindered.

Trough or Trenching -Problems and Issues Possible soil erosion when watering will uncover potato tubers 41, which will then turn green and be inedible. There is no accurate control of water and nutrient application. A large dedicated garden plot is required.

Large Pot Containers -Problems For a compost with underlying drainage material, the lower level tends to dry out -leading to smaller potatoes. Conventional pot growing regimes are haphazard in meeting plant requirements.

Variants (not illustrated) Although a circular symmetrical form is convenient for plastics moulding, other planforms, such as rectangular or polygonal, could be employed. Similarly, individual tier depth could differ. lnternested tiers could be used as a heavier, more robust-walled, planter, with greater mass and stability for larger or exposed planting.

Whilst layering of growing medium may not be relevant to other plant types than potatoes, a stacked assembly or individual tiers fitted with a respective base may be used as individual planters -so they have a stand-alone role and value.

Modest scale, profiled access apertures could be incorporated in the side wall, say for visual inspection or retrieval of individual tubers, without wholesale growing medium disturbance.

Aesthetically, and/or as a coded visual indicator of growth progress, individual planter tiers could be differently coloured or patterned.

It is not feasible to illustrate every possible variant embodying key features, but some examples follow.

The rim (watering) troughs also serve as a convenient manual purchase' or gripping point for handling planter tiers, but could be developed in form and functionally for interaction or intercouple with other planter or external support elements and/or to facilitate this and/or for ancillary cultivation role, such as, say, a shallow starter' or improver' tray for initial seedling growth collectively, subsequently to be thinned out into separate individual planters. Somewhat smaller local troughs, pouches or pockets could be fitted, either demountable or integrated with the planter (drum) body, such as to allow for periodic local compost discharge, transfer or (liquid) fertiliser dosage. Although an external rim is convenient for access, an internal rim is conceivable. Ribs and/or recesses in the internal or external circumferential body wall surface can be used to direct water down fall. Adjacent planter tubs could have interconnected watering troughs and/or share a common reservoir, such as one in tower form.

A water trickle or cascade downfall between water trough rims or pockets at different levels could be contrived, with local internal bleed for moisturising different levels of an internal growing medium. Rim troughs or pockets could be sub-divided or mutually isolated to contain separate portions of growing medium from the main drum contents, say to allow small plant or seedling cultivation under the umbrella of larger plants. Upper rim troughs could serve as reservoirs for lower underlying rim troughs, with removable stoppers or plugs to allow discharge and re-charge. In more radical variant formats, the relative proportions of planter body and reservoirs could be interchanged; say with inboard water supply to outboard growing medium.

Aside from horticulture, the planter drum elements or tubs could have a wider general-purpose storage and handling role. Within horticulture, post cultivation storage, such as of fruit or vegetable crop could also make use of the planter form. Generous or commodious internal dimensions and volumetric capacity promote ventilation and an even temperate condition, with any excess moisture or condensation evaporated by air through-flow. Supplementary ventilation or drainage ducts or conduit, such as flexible corrugated tubing threaded through and around the contents could be accommodated.

Although a downward inward taper is convenient for ease of self-stacking and to promote contents discharge upon inversion, pallet-sided or inverse taper profiles might be contemplated for a series of stacked hollow rings reliant upon a demountable bottom floor or closure plate. The floor element could be or more elaborate form with a profile adapted to interact with a grow bag. Thus, say, depending feet could straddle or locally penetrate a growing medium, such as that confined within a pre-packaged grow bag. Similarly, a perforated floor panel, or a matrix grid format, could facilitate bottom drainage and aeration. A removable infil floor panel, or part panel infil, could facilitate manufacture and cleaning in use, with interchangeable base infills for different cultivation needs; for example rates of drainage. A grow bag could be sandwiched between a lowermost planter tub and a discrete base or floor stand module, optionally with a facility for the base and planter tubs to (re)join once the intervening growing medium has been penetrated. Internested planters could be contrived, by adoption of mutually inset annular forms. This would allow discrete cultivation regions of annular cylindrical columnar form between successive planter walls. Yet these could share a common external irrigation rim trough on an outermost tub.

Anti-topple or other bracing and stability features could allow a tall tower tiered planter stack upon a modest foot print planform. Mutual locating rods or ties, say circumferentially-spaced around the stacked tabs, could penetrate and interlink otherwise discrete planter tiers or layers. These could be secured by ground anchors such as impact penetration pins or spikes. Alternatively, a multiple discrete ground-driven pegs could interact with a base periphery. Juxtaposed tiered planter towers with local abutment or intervening transverse tabs, ties or links could be deployed for mutual bracing.

In larger-scale, commercial variants, which might be several metres in diameter, metal bracing cores or rings could be incorporated or embedded alongside a synthetic plastics body. For mass cultivation, a pre-fabricated metal and timber elemental planter format could serve to allow scaling and proportioning up to or beyond, say, greenhouse scale. Climber support tension cords could be strung between towers.

The disciplined confines of the planter lend themselves to education and training, as they can be brought into a classroom environment for closer study. Similarly, for horticultural research and development. This could be of particular value for evaluation of plants, such as herbs, whose constituents have some inherent natural' pharmacological effect.

A wider use as specimen containers, but with on-board moisturising facility, is also open.

Aside from produce for human consumption, where the subject plants, such as broad leaf grasses, flower heads, hanging fruits or legumes, also have a role as animal fodder, feed or forage, the planters can assume another ancillary role as feed troughs, deployable as sacrificial' local feed supplements to provide particular nutrients in which the plant body is rich. So individual planters might be laid out on grazing land or in a feed pen as nutritional supplement pockets for partial consumption before removal to allow recovery. This could also serve for domesticated animals, such as rabbits.

Component List planter 11 base tub 12 (upper) tier 13 trough 14 base support plinth rib 16 tier side wall 17 rib 18 support rim 19 recess growing medium 21 ledge 22 rim up-stand 23 notch 24 floor level marker line 26 (irrigation) slit 27 blanking plug 28 drainage aperture 29 level marker water potato plant 41 tubers 42 mature tubers