Method of placing soil ball on roots of seedling - uses piston to place and compress to portions of soil sandwiching roots in tube with gated end

摘要

The process uses a press to place a ball of soil on the roots of a plant seedling, entailing placing the roots in the press between two similar quantities of loose soil, and being completed by the pressing of the ball onto the roots. The press comprises a tube (2) with an end closed by a demountable cover (4) and the other locating a ram- (17) actuated piston (3), having a side wall opening (6a) through which soil is introduced, and using an open key-hole (8,9) to locate the plant. An operational cycle entails moving (14a) half the soil (6) into the tube and using the piston to move it to the covered end, the plant root then being introduced, followed by the second soil portion. A final piston movement compresses the ball and moves it out of the tube as the cover is retracted (4a).