Methods and apparatus for facilitating the germination of seeds and growth of seedlings

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for facilitating the germination of seeds and growth of seedlings. One aspect of the invention provides a seed kit. The seed kit may comprise a biodegradable germination cup having a base having one or more apertures, a one-piece biodegradable germination pad capable of retaining water and sized to be received in the base of the germination cup without falling through the one or more apertures, and a biodegradable seedling cup sized to receive the germination cup. The seed kit may further comprise other components, such as a growth medium, a seed, a lid/base, a stirring stick, etc. Another aspect of the invention relates to methods wherein a seed is germinated and nurtured to a seedling by using a germination pad, a germination cup, and a seedling cup.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seed kit for facilitating germination of a seed and growth of a seedling, the seed kit comprising:
 a germination cup shaped to define a germination cup concavity, the germination cup concavity having an apertured base and an upper opening defined by a germination cup rim which also defines a boundary between the germination cup concavity and an environment external to the germination cup concavity, the germination cup rim having a perimeter larger than a perimeter of the apertured base;   a one-piece germination pad sized to be received in the germination cup concavity and to abut against the apertured base while occupying substantially an entirety of the surface area thereof and sized, such that when received in the germination cup concavity and abutting against the apertured base, an upper surface of the germination pad is spaced apart from the germination cup rim to provide a substantially empty region within the germination cup concavity that is atop the germination pad and below the germination cup rim, the germination pad capable of absorbing and retaining water and being sufficiently rigid, when wetted with water, to avoid falling through the apertured base;   wherein a seed is locatable atop the upper surface of the wetted germinated pad and in the substantially empty region within the germination cup concavity, the wetted germination pad providing the seed with moisture to promote germination and wherein roots of the germinated seed extend downwardly, through the germination pad and through the apertured base;   wherein the germination cup and the germination pad are fabricated from biodegradable materials.   
     
     
         2 . A seed kit according to  claim 1  comprising:
 a seedling cup shaped to define a seedling cup concavity; 
 the seedling cup concavity sized to accommodate the entire germination cup and the entire germination pad, prior to use of the seed kit for facilitating the germination of the seed and growth of the seedling; 
 the seedling cup concavity sized to accommodate moistened growth medium in a lower portion thereof and to accommodate the germination cup containing the germination pad and seed directly atop the growth medium; 
 wherein the roots of the germinated seed extend downwardly, through the germination pad, through the apertured base and into the moistened growth medium and wherein the moistened growth medium is capable of sustaining the growth of the germinated seed into a viable seedling. 
 
     
     
         3 . A seed kit according to  claim 2  wherein the seedling cup is fabricated from biodegradable materials so that the entirety of the seedling cup, the growth medium, the germination cup, the germination pad and the viable seedling may be planted into soil and wherein the viable seedling can grow into a mature plant while the seedling cup, germination cup and germination pad break down in the soil. 
     
     
         4 . A seed kit according to  claim 3  wherein the materials from which the germination pad, germination cup and seedling cup are fabricated permit the germination pad, germination cup and seedling cup remain structurally intact when wet or in contact with water over a time period typical for growing a seed into a viable seedling, but permit the germination pad, germination cup and seedling cup to structurally break down in soil over a duration of time greater than or equal to half this time period, but less than two times this time period. 
     
     
         5 . A seed kit according to  claim 2  comprising a lid which is coupleable to a rim of the seedling cup to form, together with the seedling cup concavity, an enclosure for holding the entire germination cup and the entire germination pad prior to use of the seed kit for facilitating the germination of the seed and growth of the seedling. 
     
     
         6 . A seed kit according to  claim 5  wherein the lid is also operative as a base and comprises a base surface which defines a primary concavity and a smaller, secondary concavity within the primary concavity and wherein a perimeter of the secondary concavity is sized to snugly receive the base of the germination cup. 
     
     
         7 . A seed kit according to  claim 6  wherein the perimeter of the secondary concavity is sized to snugly receive a base of the seedling cup. 
     
     
         8 . A seed kit according to  claim 5  wherein the lid comprises a primary concavity and a smaller, secondary concavity within the primary concavity and wherein the secondary concavity has a volume generally equal to a volume of water desirable to moisten the germination pad on a periodic basis. 
     
     
         9 . A seed kit according to  claim 5  the lid comprises a primary concavity and a smaller, secondary concavity within the primary concavity and wherein the kit comprises a dried medium pellet which, when moistened, provides the moistened growth medium and wherein a volume of water desirable to moisten the dried medium pellet on a periodic basis and to thereby provide the moistened growth medium is generally equal to an integer multiple of a volume of the primary concavity. 
     
     
         10 . A seed kit according to  claim 1  wherein the apertured base is shaped to define a single aperture in a center thereof and wherein roots of the germinated seed extend downwardly, through the germination pad and through the single aperture. 
     
     
         11 . A seed kit according to  claim 1  wherein the perimeter of the germination cup rim is sufficiently large to permit observation of an entirety of the substantially empty region. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for facilitating germination of a seed and growth of a seedling comprising:
 a germination cup shaped to define a germination cup concavity, the germination cup concavity having an apertured base and an upper opening defined by a germination cup rim which also defines a boundary between the germination cup concavity and an environment external to the germination cup concavity, the germination cup rim having a perimeter larger than a perimeter of the apertured base;   a one-piece germination pad located in the germination cup concavity and abutting against the apertured base while occupying substantially an entirety of the surface area thereof and sized such that an upper surface of the germination pad is spaced apart from the germination cup rim to provide a substantially empty region within the germination cup concavity that is atop the germination pad and below the germination cup rim, the germination pad fabricated from a material capable of absorbing and retaining water and being sufficiently rigid, when wetted with water, to avoid the germination pad falling through the apertured base;   wherein a seed is received in the germination cup atop the upper surface of the wetted germinated pad and in the substantially empty region within the germination cup concavity, the wetted germination pad providing the seed with moisture to promote germination and wherein roots of the germinated seed extend downwardly, through the germination pad and through the apertured base;   wherein the germination cup and the germination pad are fabricated from biodegradable materials.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  comprising:
 a seedling cup shaped to define a seedling cup concavity, the seedling cup concavity containing: a moistened growth medium in a lower portion thereof; and the germination cup containing the germination pad and seed directly atop the growth medium; 
 wherein the roots of the germinated seed extend downwardly, through the germination pad, through the apertured base and into the moistened growth medium and wherein the moistened growth medium is capable of sustaining the growth of the germinated seed into a viable seedling. 
 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the seedling cup is fabricated from biodegradable materials so that the entirety of the seedling cup, the growth medium, the germination cup, the germination pad and the viable seedling may be planted into soil and wherein the viable seedling can grow into a mature plant while the seedling cup, germination cup and germination pad break down into the soil. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the materials from which the germination pad, germination cup and seedling cup are fabricated permit the germination pad, germination cup and seedling cup to remain structurally intact when wet or in contact with water over a time period typical for growing a seed into a viable seedling, but permit the germination pad, germination cup and seedling cup to structurally break down in soil over a duration of time greater than or equal to half this time period, but less than two times this time period. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the perimeter of the germination cup rim is sufficiently large to permit observation of an entirety of the substantially empty region. 
     
     
         17 . A method for facilitating germination of a seed and growth of a seedling, the method comprising:
 providing a germination cup shaped to define a germination cup concavity, the germination cup concavity having an apertured base and an upper opening defined by a germination cup rim which also defines a boundary between the germination cup concavity and an environment external to the germination cup concavity, the germination cup rim having a perimeter larger than a perimeter of the apertured base;   inserting a one-piece germination pad into the germination cup concavity and abutting the germination pad against the apertured base, the germination pad sized such that inserting the germination pad into the germination cup concavity and abutting the germination pad against the apertured based causes the germination pad to occupy substantially an entirety of the surface area of the apertured base and causes an upper surface of the germination pad to be spaced apart from the germination cup rim to provide a substantially empty region within the germination cup concavity that is atop the germination pad and below the germination cup rim;   placing a seed atop the upper surface of the germination pad and in the substantially empty region within the germination cup concavity;   moistening the germination pad by introducing water to the germination cup concavity, the water absorbed and retained by the germination pad, the germination pad being sufficiently rigid, when wetted with water, to avoid falling through the apertured base, the wetted germination pad providing the seed with moisture to promote germination;   permitting roots of the germinated seed to extend downwardly, through the germination pad and through the apertured base.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  comprising:
 providing a seedling cup shaped to define a seedling cup concavity; 
 accommodating the entire germination cup and the entire germination pad in the seedling cup concavity prior to use thereof for facilitating the germination of the seed and growth of the seedling; 
 while in use to facilitate the germination of the seed and growth of the seedling, accommodating moistened growth medium in a lower portion of the seedling cup concavity and accommodating the germination cup containing the germination pad and seed in the seedling cup concavity directly atop the growth medium; and 
 permitting the roots of the germinated seed to extend downwardly, through the germination pad, through the apertured base and into the moistened growth medium, the moistened growth medium capable of sustaining the growth of the germinated seed into a viable seedling. 
 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the germination cup, germination pad and seedling cup are fabricated from biodegradable materials and wherein the method comprises planting the entirety of the seedling cup, the growth medium, the germination cup, the germination pad and the viable seedling into soil and growing the viable seedling into a mature plant while the seedling cup, germination cup and germination pad break down in the soil. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the perimeter of the germination cup rim is sufficiently large to permit observation of an entirety of the substantially empty region.