Gardening apparatus for shielding desired vegetation and surrounding areas from unwanted contact with a sprayed chemical

#This invention relates to a gardening apparatus used in conjunction with liquid chemical sprayers. More particularly, this invention relates to a gardening apparatus for shielding desired vegetation and surrounding areas from unwanted contact with a liquid chemical when the liquid chemical is sprayed on a targeted plant, such as a weed.

#Herbicides are commonly used to kill plants, such as weeds, exotic plants, grass, poison ivy, and other undesirable flora. Most herbicides are sprayed directly onto a selected plant in the form of a liquid chemical. The spray comes into contact with and is absorbed by tissues of the plant. The herbicide then interrupts metabolic processes of the plant, which eventually causes it to die shortly thereafter.

#As many weed killers and herbicides are indiscriminate, they will kill any plant in which they come into contact with including desired vegetation. A major concern, therefore, of gardeners is to avoid inadvertently spraying herbicide onto desired vegetation surrounding the plant targeted for application of the herbicide. This may be especially difficult if desired vegetation lies underneath the targeted plant or in close proximity to the targeted plant. When desired vegetation is in close proximity to the targeted plant, it may unavoidably be within the spray path of the liquid herbicide, or can easily be contacted by the herbicide through splashing or splattering of the liquid chemical when deflected off the targeted plant.

#The detailed description is explained with reference to the accompanying figures. It should be noted that the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale and are for illustration purposes only.

#FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a gardening apparatus for shielding desired vegetation and surrounding areas from unwanted contact with a liquid chemical when the liquid chemical is sprayed on a targeted plant.

#FIG. 1B is identical to FIG. 1A, but shows the shield in a closed positioned with a plant stem disposed axially therein.

#Reference herein to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an implementation” or “one implementation” or similar formulations herein, means that a particular feature, structure, operation, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment, is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of such phrases or formulations herein are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, various particular features, structures, operations, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

#In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without each specific example. In other instances, well-known features are omitted or simplified to clarify the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and thereby, to better explain the present invention.

#The inventor intends these embodiments and implementations to serve as representative illustrations and examples. The inventor does not intend these embodiments to limit the scope of the claims; rather, the inventor has contemplated that the claimed invention might also be embodied and implemented in other ways, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.