Biodegradable Growboxx® plant cocoon
The first plant cocoon developed as part of the Groasis Ecological Water Saving Technology was the Waterboxx® plant cocoon. Our first plant cocoon allowed you to plant trees and vegetables in an efficient and water saving way. The Waterboxx® is made from polypropylene and can therefore be re-used for several years to plant multiple trees – as on average every year a new tree can be planted with it.
Next to the Waterboxx Groasis developed the biodegradable Growboxx® plant cocoon. The Growboxx® plant cocoon works along the same principles of the Waterboxx® plant cocoon, but is made from recycled paper pulp and can be used to plant once. The use of paper pulp results in a much lower investment and offers the grower an affordable and simple plant solution that is especially useful in the following situations:
- It is possible to plant on sand dunes;
- It is possible to plant in burned forests;
- It is possible to plant on rocks and mountains;
- It is possible to plant in deserts;
- It is possible to plant in eroded regions;
- It is possible to reforest many hectares while keeping the costs low – both for the boxes as labor costs.
Of course, the Growboxx® plant cocoon can also be used on fertile land, where generally speaking it leads to quicker growth, increased biomass and even higher survival rates.
What can the ‘intelligent bucket’ do?
The Growboxx® plant cocoon has also been referred to as the “intelligent bucket”. The Growboxx plant cocoon is a square box with a hole in the middle, which is placed around a young tree (no seeds!) such as for instance a young fruit tree or another productive tree. You can put some seeds and soil in the plant plugs which are integrated into the lid of the Growboxx®. The seeds will germinate and grow hydroponically in the water which is stored inside the Growboxx®. When you use the Growboxx®, it is very easy to grow a tree in combination with 4 vegetables, shrubs or flowers. It is even possible to cut a small piece from the lid and put a plant pot in the resulting hole. If you cut the bottom of the plant pot, the roots can grow in the water that is stored inside the Growboxx® plant cocoon. For more technical information, please read the datasheet of the Growboxx® plant cocoon.
The design of the Growboxx® plant cocoon. Click on the image to enlarge.
How can the Growboxx® plant cocoon be used?
The Growboxx® plant cocoon can be used for many purposes. First of all, someone can use the Growboxx® to grow a fruit tree in combination with vegetables. The vegetables that are growing in the plant plugs will set fruits in the first year. In this way, you will already have a benefit of planting with the Growboxx® plant cocoon in the very first year!
A farmer in a developing country can use the fruits to feed his family or sell the fruits to others. With the money that he saves or earns can he buy a new Growboxx®. The tree will be big enough after a few years to give fruits. The Growboxx® thus doesn’t only provide a short-term benefit, but also long-term advantages!
The Growboxx® plant cocoon can also be used for ecosystem restoration, reforestation projects or landscape planting in cities. Companies, governments, or other authorities can use the Growboxx® plant cocoon to green cities against air pollution, plant trees in combinations with shrubs in burned forests or plant of eroded areas with productive trees to produce wood, medicines or rubber.
Plant trees in an economic way
The Growboxx® plant cocoon allows you to plant trees in combination with vegetables, shrubs or flowers in a relatively cheap way. The Growboxx® plant cocoon will supply water to the plant during the first year. Because it is biodegradable, after a year - when the Growboxx® plant cocoon is empty - the box will degrade and function as a nutrient for the tree.
Testing of the Growboxx® plant cocoon
Groasis has already planted nearly 10.000 Growboxx® plant cocoons in over 30 countries. The tests were promising and we used the results to further improve the design of the box. At the end of 2016, the latest design was ready and the first million boxes were sold for a project that will be carried out by the Mexican State of Baja California.
Start your own project with the Growboxx® plant cocoon
Here you can find the documents for starting a project with our Waterboxx® plant cocoon.
Photo series of the LIFE+ The Green Deserts Projects in Spain
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