How are garden inventions created? As a single mom farming off-grid in deep California, I decided to take the leap and try to figure it out.
I was raised by a doomsday prepper mom who believed homesteading could save humanity. I learned how to be resourceful, to live off the land and make the land work with us to ensure our survival. What we needed was sewn, grown, hunted, or stored during long, snowy winters, when months would go by with no human contact. In this self-sustaining environment, I learned to invent. I crafted anything you can think of at an early age. Christmas was made up entirely of handmade goods, which was our tradition.
So, it made sense that, after years of battling the elements growing medical cannabis, my frustrated brain invented a greenhouse umbrella and skirt. This innovation creates a perfect environment for cultivation and protects plants from various issues, including mud bud, breaks, lost flowers, cold damage, cross-pollination, bud rot, and more.
I trademarked it as Croptops Greenhouses, and my innovation company was born. After many years of perfecting, designing, and manufacturing the basic design, I was granted a full federal patent in 2016 with 21 microclaims appended to it.
I accomplished this using technology from 2012: basic phones, no laptop and dial-up internet access. It can be an exhausting journey, one that takes you out of the peace and harmony of being just a gardener or farmer and thrusts you into a vast world of commerce and trade. But, for some, the adventure of inventing in the garden makes the mind bloom bigger.
Notes for Idea Assessment
- “Necessity is the mother of invention”. When you find a need for or a way to do something easier or better, write it down. Think of ways to solve the puzzle, from a new latch style to a bearing on a wheelbarrow. The world is ripe with innovation space, and there is no limit to what can be created. Say you think of a new tool, such as a heart-shaped shovel for burying bad vibes or something. First, try to sketch your concept on a napkin and refine your thoughts into a solid product.
- Google your ideas. Research and investigate any version that may be out in commerce. Be specific, such as shovel designs, in your search engine queries.
- Run a Patent search. You can visit the United States Patent Office, the UK Patent Office, or the patent office in any other country and research existing patents. It’s wise to look at least one foreign patent body, as patents are country-specific. Lawyers and businesses will attempt to charge you to do patent searches, but with a little time commitment, you can accomplish this yourself.
Stay away from the “Let me Help You Invent” platforms. They are built to capitalise, not help inventors.
Create an Overview to Self-Assess Your Ideas
- What are the product’s uses?
- What is the target market? Gardeners or farmers?
- What is the potential profit?
- How many people would purchase this product? Is it novelty or applicable?
Profit Margins are Crucial
Ultimately, becoming an inventor is all about profit margins. The person who invents a new irrigation valve may earn more money than someone who creates an entirely new tractor tool, which illustrates the concept of volume versus gains.
Perception is Everything
Consider the other tools available or objects that achieve the same goal. For example, my heart-shaped shovel idea (conceived while writing this) may be good for root crops or root removals. I would research root pullers, tuber harvesters, etc. It can also be made for satire or novelty gifts. It all depends on how you look at the idea. Perception is everything.
File Your Own Patents
Once you find your perfected product concept, it’s possible to file your own patents for just a few hundred dollars. I’ve personally been preyed on for tens of thousands of dollars, eventually learning that the hard way.
Find Cost-Effective Manufacturing
Research manufacturing companies or figure out how to make it locally or at home. It may be cheaper for me to buy already-made shovels and use a torch to cut them into a heart shape, rather than creating an entirely new product line. Look into the cost-effectiveness of its creation. 3D printers offer easy opportunities for creating prototypes and basic models.
Getting Your Product to Market
Go through the process, break down and patent your own idea, and make it with earth-conscious materials. You can sell your patent to larger, established companies. However, that adventure in itself is an arduous goal. I chose not to sell out to larger, well-known companies that may be known for toxic practices. I have completely self-funded and self-distributed.
You’ve Got This
Inventing in your garden is a passion with a purpose. I hope to see many new, eco-friendly and well-made resourceful tools being created by you in the future. Never be afraid to reinvent yourself.
