CA1046281A - Growth medium for the cultivation of plants - Google Patents
Growth medium for the cultivation of plantsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1046281A CA1046281A CA207,606A CA207606A CA1046281A CA 1046281 A CA1046281 A CA 1046281A CA 207606 A CA207606 A CA 207606A CA 1046281 A CA1046281 A CA 1046281A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- granules
- growth medium
- peat
- water
- binding agent
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 239000001963 growth medium Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 15
- 239000008187 granular material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 24
- 239000003415 peat Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 239000011230 binding agent Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000010426 asphalt Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000008961 swelling Effects 0.000 abstract description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 235000015097 nutrients Nutrition 0.000 description 3
- 235000008733 Citrus aurantifolia Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 235000011941 Tilia x europaea Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000004571 lime Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000008188 pellet Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000010451 perlite Substances 0.000 description 2
- 235000019362 perlite Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003795 chemical substances by application Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001125 extrusion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005429 filling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- -1 for example Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000266 injurious effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005342 ion exchange Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003595 mist Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011148 porous material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002786 root growth Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012882 rooting medium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920006395 saturated elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000002689 soil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
Landscapes
- Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Growth medium consisting of granules of compressed peat with a binding agent which will retain the shape of the peat granules when swelling upon supply of water.
Growth medium consisting of granules of compressed peat with a binding agent which will retain the shape of the peat granules when swelling upon supply of water.
Description
1~4tjZ8~;
The present invention relates to a growth medium for the propagation and cultivation of plants of all types, and is particularly suitable for the cultivation of cuttings.
Fertilized peat is widely used as substrate for pro-pagation and cultivation. The advantage in comparision with ordinary soil is that the peat has a greater air and water capacity and ion exchange capability and is a more uniform mater-ial. A disadvantage in certain conditions, for example, fog and mist, is that the peat may be saturated with water and have thereby too little air content toxygen) for normal root growth.
In order to obtain a more porous substrate, synthetic, granulated materials, for example, perlite, are frequently mixed with the peat. Perlite alone is sometimes used as rooting medium for cuttings. Such material is used particularly for its air content, however, it lacks most of the good physical and chemical properties of the peat, inter alia, its buffer quality. By buffer quality, is meant the quality of being able to resist sudden and great alterations in analysis values on addition of lime and nutrients tchemicals).
The object of the invention is to produce a growth medium which is expansible and retains as many as possible of the good qualities of both the peat and the synthetic granular material and also avoids the disadvantages of both materials.
It is previously known that peat, to which binder is added, can be pressed to briquettes which, on addition of water, expand to blocks which retain their shape due to the addition of the binder. The said peat blocks form an excellent growth medium for plants and have otherwise many technical and economical advantages in the production processes of the plants.
By means of the present invention, a growth medium 10'~281 ~ith desirable properties is produced. This is achieved in that it consists of granulate, granules or pellets of peat to which a ~inding agent is added, compressed and formed to a dimension which, after expansion by the addition of water, has the desired granulate size for such a growth medium, and, further-more, retains its shape and structure for long periods of time.
The growth medium has thereby both the good qualities of the peat and greater air content in the large pores between the granules. It has also the technical and economic advantages of little weight and low volume for transport, storage and handling, and paurs readily and continuously in the filling process of pots, boxes, beds and the like. Desired amounts of nutrients and lime may be added. It can be delivered as a standardized product which is less sensitive to above optimum supplies of nutrients and water and yields thereby a safer result for the plant cultivator.
Ordinary pelleting equipment cannot be used for granulating the peat since, on extrusion and subsequent division, friction heat is developed which is injurious to the peat as growth medium. However, band rollers may be used with continuous compression to 1:10 decrease in volume, with subsequent rotary cutting to pellets.
The invention thus relates to a growth medium which is substantially characterized in that it consists of granules of compressed peat to which a binding agent has been added so that the granules retain their granular shape when swelling on addition of moisture. The binding agent may contain bitumen or other material having similar properties, and one method of producing the growth medium in accordance with the invention comprising granules of compressed peat with a binding agent which will retain the shape of the granules, when the granules swell on supply of water.
,.~
104~Z~l The invention also relates to a method disclosed above and it is characterized in that the peat is compressed under a pressure of 500 - 1000 kg/cm2. Preferably~ the granules are compressed to such an extent that, when water is added, the granules swell up to four times their compressed volume. The size of the granules in the swollen state is preferably in the range 3-10 mm.
~A
The present invention relates to a growth medium for the propagation and cultivation of plants of all types, and is particularly suitable for the cultivation of cuttings.
Fertilized peat is widely used as substrate for pro-pagation and cultivation. The advantage in comparision with ordinary soil is that the peat has a greater air and water capacity and ion exchange capability and is a more uniform mater-ial. A disadvantage in certain conditions, for example, fog and mist, is that the peat may be saturated with water and have thereby too little air content toxygen) for normal root growth.
In order to obtain a more porous substrate, synthetic, granulated materials, for example, perlite, are frequently mixed with the peat. Perlite alone is sometimes used as rooting medium for cuttings. Such material is used particularly for its air content, however, it lacks most of the good physical and chemical properties of the peat, inter alia, its buffer quality. By buffer quality, is meant the quality of being able to resist sudden and great alterations in analysis values on addition of lime and nutrients tchemicals).
The object of the invention is to produce a growth medium which is expansible and retains as many as possible of the good qualities of both the peat and the synthetic granular material and also avoids the disadvantages of both materials.
It is previously known that peat, to which binder is added, can be pressed to briquettes which, on addition of water, expand to blocks which retain their shape due to the addition of the binder. The said peat blocks form an excellent growth medium for plants and have otherwise many technical and economical advantages in the production processes of the plants.
By means of the present invention, a growth medium 10'~281 ~ith desirable properties is produced. This is achieved in that it consists of granulate, granules or pellets of peat to which a ~inding agent is added, compressed and formed to a dimension which, after expansion by the addition of water, has the desired granulate size for such a growth medium, and, further-more, retains its shape and structure for long periods of time.
The growth medium has thereby both the good qualities of the peat and greater air content in the large pores between the granules. It has also the technical and economic advantages of little weight and low volume for transport, storage and handling, and paurs readily and continuously in the filling process of pots, boxes, beds and the like. Desired amounts of nutrients and lime may be added. It can be delivered as a standardized product which is less sensitive to above optimum supplies of nutrients and water and yields thereby a safer result for the plant cultivator.
Ordinary pelleting equipment cannot be used for granulating the peat since, on extrusion and subsequent division, friction heat is developed which is injurious to the peat as growth medium. However, band rollers may be used with continuous compression to 1:10 decrease in volume, with subsequent rotary cutting to pellets.
The invention thus relates to a growth medium which is substantially characterized in that it consists of granules of compressed peat to which a binding agent has been added so that the granules retain their granular shape when swelling on addition of moisture. The binding agent may contain bitumen or other material having similar properties, and one method of producing the growth medium in accordance with the invention comprising granules of compressed peat with a binding agent which will retain the shape of the granules, when the granules swell on supply of water.
,.~
104~Z~l The invention also relates to a method disclosed above and it is characterized in that the peat is compressed under a pressure of 500 - 1000 kg/cm2. Preferably~ the granules are compressed to such an extent that, when water is added, the granules swell up to four times their compressed volume. The size of the granules in the swollen state is preferably in the range 3-10 mm.
~A
Claims (6)
1. A growth medium comprising granules of compressed peat which swell on addition of water, each granule containing a binding agent which causes the shape of the granules to be re-tained when the granules swell on addition of water.
2. A growth medium according to claim 1 wherein the binding agent contains bitumen.
3. A growth medium according to claim 1 wherein the granules have a diameter of 3-10 mm in the swollen state.
4. A method of cultivating a plant, wherein the plant is grown in a growth medium comprising a plurality of granules of compressed peat each containing a binding agent which retains the shape of the granules when the granules swell on supply of water.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the binding agent contains bitumen.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the granules in swollen state have a diameter of 3-10 mm.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA207,606A CA1046281A (en) | 1974-08-21 | 1974-08-21 | Growth medium for the cultivation of plants |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA207,606A CA1046281A (en) | 1974-08-21 | 1974-08-21 | Growth medium for the cultivation of plants |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1046281A true CA1046281A (en) | 1979-01-16 |
Family
ID=4100949
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA207,606A Expired CA1046281A (en) | 1974-08-21 | 1974-08-21 | Growth medium for the cultivation of plants |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1046281A (en) |
-
1974
- 1974-08-21 CA CA207,606A patent/CA1046281A/en not_active Expired
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