Methods and Products to Protect Against Root Intrusion and Plant and Root Growth

A control device for control of one or more of root intrusion or plant growth, which comprises:

• a fibrous product formed in the presence of and containing an exfoliated nanoclay, which nanoclay retains an ammonium ion chemical having 6 or more carbon atoms and which nanoclay is loaded with a root-controlling agent, said fibrous product being the product formed by the steps of:
• (a) heating said root-controlling agent to its melting point temperature;
• (b) heating nanoclay intercalated with an ammonium ion to a temperature of at least the root-controlling agent melting point temperature;
• (c) loading said heated root-controlling agent with said heated intercalated ammonium ion intercalated nanoclay to form a composite material that is partially exfoliated;
• (d) adjusting the particle size of said composite material for blending and further exfoliation;
• (e) blending said particle size adjusted composite material with a polymer matrix;
• (f) exfoliating the nanoclay in said polymer matrix to an extent that a slow controlled release of said root-controlling agent from said polymer matrix is obtained;
• and
• (g) forming the polymer matrix of step (f) into a fiber to form said control device.