Unitized mat to facilitate growing plants

A method of enhancing the growth of plants, comprising:

• forming a unitized mat having at least one polymeric material layer, said polymeric material layer having a selected color, reflective properties, barrier properties, and shape to act as define fluid-conveying passageways forming at least one distribution header and at least one flow restricting means, the polymeric material layers having at least one perforation extending therethrough, said at least one perforation being an opening receiving at least one plant therethrough;
• disbursing water through a fluid passageway in said unitized mat through irrigation watering outlets at one or more selected rates and locations within said unitized mat, said fluid passageway forming at least one distribution header and at least one flow restricting means, a first of the at least one distribution header being in fluid communication with an inlet, the flow restricting means extending outwardly from said first distribution header, a second of the at least one distribution header through said unitized mat being in fluid communication with said flow restricting means, said flow restricting means extending outwardly from said first distribution header to said second distribution header;
• and an outlet means for dispensing fluid into a root zone area covered by at least one layer of polymeric material layer, said outlet means being in fluid communication with said second distribution header, said outlet means having multiple outlet ports being positioned at said at least one perforation.

A method to facilitate growing of plants, comprising:

• forming a unitized mat of at least two polymeric material layers sized and shaped to cover an area immediately around at least one of the plants, the polymeric material layers being selectively bonded together to define fluid-conveying passageways forming at least one distribution header and at least one flow restrictor, the polymeric material layers having at least one perforation extending therethrough, said at least one oerforation being an opening receicing at least one plant therethrough, a first of the at least one distribution header being in fluid communication with an inlet, the flow restrictor extending outwardly from said first distribution header, a second of the at least one distribution header through said unitized mat being in fluid communication with said flow restrictor, said flow restrictor extending outwardly from said first distribution header to said second distribution header;
• delivering a fluid through an inlet into the first and second distribution headers throughout the polymeric material layers;
• disbursing and metering said fluid from the first and second distribution headers through the flow restrictors to a plurality of outlets at an end of the fluid-conveying passageways covered by the polymeric material layers;
• and
• dispensing said fluid through one or more outlets at an end of the fluid-conveying passageways positioned at said at least one perforation and covered by at least one layer of the polymeric material layers.

A unitized mat to facilitate growing plants comprising:

• an artificial mulch formed by at least two sized and shaped polymeric material layers to cover an area immediately around at least one of the plants, the material layers being selectively bonded together to define fluid-conveying passageways forming at least one distribution headers and at least one flow restricting means, the polymeric material layers having at least one perforation extending therethrough, said at least one perforation being an opening receiving at least one plant therethrough;
• an inlet means for delivery of a fluid into a first of the at least one distribution header through the polymeric material layers, said inlet means being in fluid communication with the first distribution header, said flow restricting means extending outwardly from said first distribution header;
• and
• an outlet means for dispensing fluid into a root zone area covered by at least one layer of said polymeric material layers and positioned at the perforation, said outlet means being in fluid communication with a second of the at least one distribution header, said flow restricting means throughout the polymeric material layers being in fluid communication between said first distribution header and said second distribution header, said flow restricting means extending outwardly from said first distribution header to said second distribution header, said outlet means having multiple outlet ports being positioned at said at least one perforation;
• wherein said flow restricting means for metering fluid is in fluid connection with the first and second distribution headers and said outlet means.