Ground penetrating self-drilling and self-hydrating seed planting cluster
A seed planting cluster includes a seeding tapered projectile bonded to a hydrating tapered projectile. The hydrating projectile contains water that is released into the ground upon impact through hydrating holes that are initially covered by water-soluble seals. The seeding projectile contains a seed carrier helix that expands downward when exposed to the water, thereby inserting at least one seed, seedling, and/or sapling into the ground. The cluster is dropped or ballistically propelled downward from an aircraft, whereupon the projectiles penetrate into the ground and, if present, through a hydroscopic layer. The seeding projectile bottom can be open, or capped with a hard, water-soluble material. The top of the seeding projectile can be open, holes can be provided on the side of the seeding projectile, and/or water in a frangible container can be provided within the seeding projectile. The seeding and/or hydrating projectiles can include anchoring barbs.
1 . A seed planting cluster comprising:
a hollow seeding tapered projectile having a top, a bottom, and a side, wherein a horizontal, cross-sectional area of the top is larger than a horizontal, cross-sectional area of the bottom;
a seed carrier positioned within an interior of the seeding tapered projectile, the seed carrier comprising a helix extending downward from a carrier top of the seed carrier, the helix being substantially aligned with a seeding axis of the seeding tapered projectile, the helix being made from a material that expands when exposed to water, thereby at least partially unwinding the helix and increasing a length thereof;
one or more seeds, seedlings, and/or saplings contained within the tapered projectile and fixed to, or within, a lower portion of the helix;
a hollow hydrating tapered projectile fixed to the seeding tapered projectile, a horizontal, cross-sectional area of a top of the hydrating tapered projectile being larger than a horizontal, cross-sectional area of a bottom of the hydrating tapered projectile;
hydrating water contained within a hydrating interior of the hydrating tapered projectile; and
at least one hydrating hole proximate a bottom of the hydrating tapered projectile, the hydrating hole being covered by a water-soluble or frangible hydrating hole cover that is configured to be dissolved or ruptured after impact of the hydrating tapered projectile with underlying ground, thereby allowing the hydrating water to enter into the underlying ground that surrounds the hydrating tapered projectile;
the seed planting cluster being configured such that, upon an impact of the tapered projectiles with the underlying ground, the bottoms of the tapered projectiles are inserted into the ground, and the helix within the seeding tapered projectile is exposed to moisture released by the hydrating tapered projectile, thereby causing the length of the helix to be increased, such that the helix extends downward through the bottom of the seeding tapered projectile, and the one or more seeds, seedlings, and/or saplings are inserted into soil beneath the seeding tapered projectile.
2 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the hydrating tapered projectile is directed bonded to the seeding tapered projectile.
3 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the hydrating tapered projectile is bonded to the seeding tapered projectile by a strut.
4 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the hydrating tapered projectile further contains fertilizer.
5 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the water that is contained within the hydrating tapered projectile is absorbed into a super-absorbent polymer (SAP).
6 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the hydrating hole cover comprises gelatin.
7 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the hydrating tapered projectile is included in a plurality of hydrating tapered projectiles, the seeding tapered projectile being symmetrically centered among the plurality of hydrating tapered containers.
8 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the tapered projectile is shaped as a cone, or as a frustum of a cone.
9 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the seeding tapered projectile comprises a downward-facing opening through which the helix is able to extend as its length is increased.
10 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the seeding tapered projectile is a downwardly directed cap made from a water-soluble material.
11 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the seeding tapered projectile comprises at least one opening that penetrates the side of the seeding tapered projectile, thereby enabling moisture proximate the side of the seeding tapered projectile to enter into the interior of the seeding tapered projectile.
12 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , wherein the seeding tapered projectile further comprises water enclosed within a hydration container within the interior of the seeding tapered projectile, the hydration container being configured to release the water onto the helix upon impact of the seeding tapered projectile with the ground.
13 . The seed planting cluster of claim 12 , wherein the hydration container is frangible, and configured to be broken open upon impact of the seeding tapered projectile with the ground.
14 . The seed planting cluster of claim 13 , wherein the seeding tapered projectile further comprises a hammer configured to strike and break open the hydration container upon impact of the seeding tapered projectile with the ground.
15 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , further comprising at least one anchor extending outward from the seeding tapered projectile, the anchor being configured to readily penetrate into the ground, and thereafter to resist any upward dislodging of the seeding tapered projectile from the ground.
16 . The seed planting cluster of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of nutrients, soil, sand, gravel, fertilizer, and super-absorbent polymer (SAP) within the interior of the seeding tapered projectile.
17 . A method of aerially applying seeds and/or seedlings to ground within a terrain, the method comprising:
providing a seed planting cluster according to claim 1 ; and
dropping or propelling the seed planting cluster from an aircraft toward the underlying ground, such that:
the bottoms of the seeding tapered projectile and the hydrating tapered projectile impact the ground according to an impact energy;
the bottoms of the seeding tapered projectile and the hydrating tapered projectile penetrate into the underlying ground;
the hydrating water contained within the hydrating tapered projectile is released into the underlying ground;
the helix of the seed carrier positioned within the seeding tapered projectile is exposed to the hydrating water;
the length of the helix is increased;
the helix extends downward through the bottom of the seeding tapered projectile; and
the one or more seeds, seedlings, and/or saplings that are fixed to or within a lower portion of the helix are inserted into soil beneath the seeding tapered projectile.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the impact energy of the seed planting cluster is derived entirely from gravitational acceleration after being released from the aircraft.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein dropping or propelling the seed planting cluster from the aircraft comprises ballistically propelling the seed planting cluster from the aircraft toward the forest floor.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the impact energy is sufficient to cause the seeding tapered projectile to penetrate a hydrophobic layer into underlying soil.