Abstract A plant support and compost enclosure, comprising rigid panels of fencing wherein the spacing of the horizontal rods in the lower portion of each panel is much smaller than the spacing in the upper portion in order to better contain the compost. The rigid panels are connected by rings, thereby enabling the apparatus to stand without any support and have the ability of being folded flat for easy storage. A minimum of three rigid panels is needed for the apparatus to stand unsupported. The upper portion of one of the rigid panels does not contain any vertical or horizontal rods, so as to form an opening to facilitate the loading of composting material for compost production. The composting material is innoculated with micro-organisms and watered from time to time to produce compost. Plants, such as tomatoes, are planted around the perimeter of the apparatus to take advantage of both the nutrients and water seeping into the soil from the compost heap and the ready support available from the rigid panels of the apparatus.
A combination plant support and compost enclosure apparatus comprising: a plurality of substantially vertical rigid panels, each panel including a set of generally vertical spaced rods and a set of generally horizontal spaced rods, said rods being secured to each other at their junction points, one of said panels acting as a front panel and having vertical and horizontal rods omitted in the upper portion thereof to provide an opening therethrough, substantially larger than the opening defined by said vertical and horizontal rods for the introduction of compost into the enclosure; and means pivotally connecting each said panel to adjacent panels to form a rigid structure that can stand without support and be collapsed to a substantially flat form.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
A combination plant support and compost enclosure apparatus comprising: a plurality of substantially vertical rigid panels, each panel including a set of generally vertical spaced rods and a set of generally horizontal spaced rods, said rods being secured to each other at their junction points, one of said panels acting as a front panel and having vertical and horizontal rods omitted in the upper portion thereof to provide an opening therethrough, substantially larger than the opening defined by said vertical and horizontal rods for the introduction of compost into the enclosure; and means pivotally connecting each said panel to adjacent panels to form a rigid structure that can stand without support and be collapsed to a substantially flat form.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A combination plant support and compost enclosure apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the distance between horizontal rods is greater in the upper portion of each panel than in the lower portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A combination plant support and compost enclosure as defined in claim 1, wherein the pivotally connecting means loosely encircles the adjacent vertical rods of adjacent panels to facilitate the collapsing of the rigid panels to a substantially flat form.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A combination plant support and compost enclosure apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the number of panels is six and the standing structure is hexagonal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
A method of nourishing and supporting plants, comprising: providing the apparatus of claim 1 partially filling said structure apparatus through a substantial opening in the upper portion of one of said panels with composting material for the production of compost; innoculating said composting material with micro-organisms; planting seeds or plants in the soil outside of the periphery of the apparatus to take advantage of the nutrients escaping from the compost; and watering said composting material to help microorganisms thrive and aid in the production of compost, and to provide moisture for said seeds or plants
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5 in which fertilizer is mixed in to the soil outside of the periphery of the apparatus at the time that the seeds or plants are planted therein.