Method of protecting plants and stimulating their growth

Claim 2

In a method of protecting growing plants from adverse environmental conditions, the steps of disposing water within inflatable tubes between growing rows, introducing a relatively large volume of air into the tubes to inflate them to form a lateral barrier against wind, and venting the air from the tubes laterally toward the growing plants at a plurality of points spaced along the growing rows thereby to establish a flow of air over the water to condition the vented air, and exposing the water to solar radiation in situ to raise the temperature thereof to furnish heat for the flowing air.

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1, including coloring the water to augment its solar absorption.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1, including the step of introducing plant-treating materials in airborne form into the tubes together with the source of air.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1, including the step of disposing air-borne particles in the tubes to render the air at least partially opaque to the passage of radiant energy.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1, including the step of maintaining the ballast water at temperatures below ambient atmosphere under warm weather conditions, and utilizing the air discharge to stimulate growth.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 1, including the step of establishing shallow dams at spaced intervals along the lengths of the tubes to isolate successive segments of water from each other.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 1, including anchoring a thin flexible transparent sheet over the tubes to create an air pocket thereabove to cause the air discharged from the tubes to support the sheet, and controlling the discharge of air from the space beneath the sheet to the atmosphere to establish a positive pressure therein to maintain the sheet in an elevated position above the plants.

Claim 9

Apparatus for the protection of plants from adverse environmental conditions and for stimulating plant growth, comprising a plurality of inflatable tubes adapted to be disposed between growing rows, said tubes being imperforate on their lower sides to contain liquid to anchor the tubes in position on the ground as a ballast and to serve as a thermal medium, means in fluid communication with said tubes to introduce and maintain said liquid therein, means defining a plurality of air-discharge openings in a row in the sides of the tubes above the liquid level to discharge air from the tubes toward the respective plants in the row of growing plants, said tubes including at least one air-input opening of substantially larger size than the output openings for the introduction of air under positive pressure into the tubes for inflation thereof and for establishing a flow of moving air over the water, whereby the thermal energy exchange between air and water conditions the air for discharge into the growing area, said tubes being transparent to solar energy at least on the upper surface, thereby to receive thermal energy during daylight hours to heat the liquid to furnish heat to the growing areas through heat exchange with the moving air, and a supplemental cover of thin flexible sheet material overlying at least one growing row and secured to tubes adjacent growing rows, and means in said sheet material defining air-vent openings to the atmosphere from the space under the supplemental cover to maintain a positive pressure in the space, whereby the supplemental cover is supported at least partially by the air discharged from the tubes.

Claim 10

Apparatus for the protection of plants from adverse environmental conditions and for stimulating plant growth, comprising a plurality of inflatable tubes adapted to be disposed between growing rows, said tubes being imperforate on their lower sides to contain liquid to anchor the tubes in position on the ground as a ballast and to serve as a thermal medium, means in fluid communication with said tubes to introduce and maintain said liquid therein, means defining a plurality of air-discharge openings in a row in the sides of the tubes above the liquid level to discharge air from the tubes toward the respective plants in the row of growing plants, said tubes including at least one air-input opening of substantially larger size than the output openings for the introduction of air under positive pressure into the tubes for inflation thereof and for establishing a flow of moving air over the water, whereby the thermal energy exchange between air and water conditions the air for discharge into the growing area, said tubes being transparent to solar energy at least on the upper surface, thereby to receive thermal energy during daylight hours to heat the liquid to furnish heat to the growing areas through heat exchange with the moving air, and a supplemental cover of thin flexible sheet material overlying at least one growing row and secured to tubes adjacent growing rows, and means in said sheet material defining air-vent openings to the atmosphere from the space under the supplemental cover to maintain a positive pressure in the space, whereby the supplemental cover is supported at least partially by the air discharged from the tubes.

Claim 11

Apparatus for the protection of plants from adverse environmental conditions and for stimulatinG plant growth, comprising a plurality of inflatable tubes adapted to be disposed between growing rows, said tubes being imperforate on their lower sides to contain liquid to anchor the tubes in position on the ground as a ballast and to serve as a thermal medium, means defining a plurality of air-discharge openings in a row in the sides of the tubes above the liquid level to discharge air from the tubes toward the respective plants in the row of growing plants, said tubes including at least one air-input opening of substantially larger size than the output openings for the introduction of air under positive pressure into the tubes for inflation thereof and for establishing a flow of moving air over the water, whereby the thermal energy exchange between air and water conditions the air for discharge into the growing area, said tubes being transparent to solar energy at least on the upper surface, thereby to receive thermal energy during daylight hours to heat the liquid to furnish heat to the growing areas through heat exchange with the moving air, water weep holes formed in the tube walls below the air openings and in the vicinity of the normal ballast-water level of the system, thereby to facilitate crop-irrigation by changing the water level of the ballast water with respect to the ground level, and extension tube means connected to the weep holes to discharge water closely adjacent the plants.

Claim 12

Apparatus for the protection of plants from adverse environmental conditions and for stimulatinG plant growth, comprising a plurality of inflatable tubes adapted to be disposed between growing rows, said tubes being imperforate on their lower sides to contain liquid to anchor the tubes in position on the ground as a ballast and to serve as a thermal medium, means defining a plurality of air-discharge openings in a row in the sides of the tubes above the liquid level to discharge air from the tubes toward the respective plants in the row of growing plants, said tubes including at least one air-input opening of substantially larger size than the output openings for the introduction of air under positive pressure into the tubes for inflation thereof and for establishing a flow of moving air over the water, whereby the thermal energy exchange between air and water conditions the air for discharge into the growing area, said tubes being transparent to solar energy at least on the upper surface, thereby to receive thermal energy during daylight hours to heat the liquid to furnish heat to the growing areas through heat exchange with the moving air, water weep holes formed in the tube walls below the air openings and in the vicinity of the normal ballast-water level of the system, thereby to facilitate crop-irrigation by changing the water level of the ballast water with respect to the ground level, and extension tube means connected to the weep holes to discharge water closely adjacent the plants.