US2006107589A1PendingUtilityA1

Compressed growing medium

53
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Nov 19, 2004Filed: Nov 19, 2004Published: May 25, 2006
Est. expiryNov 19, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Patti D. Rubin
A01G 24/44A01G 24/28A01G 24/25A01G 24/35B01J 20/14Y02P20/145B01J 20/3021B01J 20/24B01J 20/3035C09K 3/32B01J 20/106C05F 5/002A01C 23/02B01D 2252/205A01G 24/50B01D 15/08B01J 20/26B01D 2252/2053Y02A40/20B01J 20/16C12N 1/20A01G 27/04
53
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Claims

Abstract

A growing medium includes a bulking agent and a water-retentive polymer blended together and compressed at a volume-to-volume ratio ranging from about 2:1 to about 10:1, being substantially free of a water-soluble binder material.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A growing medium, comprising: 
 a bulking agent; and    at least one water-retentive polymer;    wherein said growing medium is compressed at a volume-to-volume ratio ranging from about 2:1 to about 10:1, and wherein said growing medium is substantially free of a water-soluble binder material.    
   
   
       2 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , wherein said growing medium is compressed at a volume-to-volume ratio ranging from about 5:1 to about 10:1.  
   
   
       3 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , wherein said growing medium is compressed at a volume-to-volume ratio ranging from about 7:1 to about 8:1.  
   
   
       4 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , wherein said water-soluble binder material is a polyvinyl alcohol.  
   
   
       5 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , wherein said bulking agent comprises coir dust and coir fibers.  
   
   
       6 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , wherein said water-retentive polymer is a non-foamed polymer.  
   
   
       7 . The growing medium of  claim 6 , wherein said non-foamed polymer is a polyacrylamide.  
   
   
       8 . The growing medium of  claim 6 , wherein said acrylic polymer is a polyacrylate/polyacrylamide copolymer.  
   
   
       9 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , further comprising seeds.  
   
   
       10 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , further comprising a fertilizer, nutrients, a pesticide, an insecticide, a fungicide, a plant growth enhancer or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , wherein the growing medium is compressed into at least one wafer, pellet, brick, slab, cube or triangle.  
   
   
       12 . The growing medium of  claim 11 , wherein said wafer, pellet, brick, slab, cube or triangle is enclosed in a dehydrated package.  
   
   
       13 . The growing medium of  claim 12 , wherein said dehydrated package is vacuum-packed.  
   
   
       14 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , wherein said growing medium is packaged in a grow-bag.  
   
   
       15 . The growing medium of  claim 14 , further comprising seeds.  
   
   
       16 . The growing medium of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-ionic surfactant or emulsifier.  
   
   
       17 . A growing medium, comprising: 
 coir; and    a water-retentive polymer;    wherein said growing medium is compressed at a volume-to-volume ratio ranging from about 2:1 to about 10:1; said growing medium is substantially free of a water-soluble binder material; and wherein said growing medium is packaged in a grow-bag.    
   
   
       18 . The growing medium of  claim 17 , wherein said growing medium is compressed at a volume-to-volume ratio ranging from about 5:1 to about 10:1.  
   
   
       19 . The growing medium of  claim 17 , wherein said grow-bag comprises a plastic material.  
   
   
       20 . The growing medium of  claim 17 , further comprising seeds.  
   
   
       21 . The growing medium of  claim 17 , further comprising a fertilizer.  
   
   
       22 . A method of making a growing medium, comprising: 
 blending a dehydrated bulking agent and a water-retentive polymer to make a growing medium; and    compressing said growing medium at a volume-to-volume ratio ranging from about 2:1 to about 10:1.    
   
   
       23 . The growing medium of  claim 22 , wherein said growing medium is compressed at a volume-to-volume ratio ranging from about 5:1 to about 10:1.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising 
 packaging said growing medium.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said bulking agent comprises coir.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said dehydrated bulking agent comprises about 20% moisture content or less.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said dehydrated bulking agent comprises about 18% moisture content or less.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said dehydrated bulking agent is compressed at a volume-to-volume ratio of about 3:1 or less.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 forming said growing medium into a wafer, pellet, brick, slab, cube or triangle.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising adding seeds.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising adding a non-ionic surfactant or emulsifier.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising adding a fertilizer, nutrients, a pesticide, an insecticide, a fungicide, a plant growth enhancer or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said packaging comprises vacuum-packing, pillow packing, controlled atmosphere packing, modified atmosphere packing or desiccant packing.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said packaging comprises enclosing said growing medium in a grow-bag.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said compressing further includes agitating said growing medium.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising cooling said growing medium to about 20° C. to about 25° C.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said growing medium is maintained below about 35° C.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said growing medium is maintained below about 30° C.  
   
   
       39 . A method for making a growing medium, comprising: 
 blending a bulking agent and a water-retentive polymer to make a growing medium;    contacting seeds with a granulation pan;    contacting said growing medium with said granulation pan; and    granulating said seeds and said growing medium into pellets.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising packaging said pellets.  
   
   
       41 . A method for reducing pre-mature seed germination in a pre-seeded growing medium, comprising: 
 vacuum-packing a pre-seeded growing medium.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising: 
 flushing with nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, helium, argon, xenon, neon or a combination thereof.

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