Self-contained hydrophilic plant growth matrix and method

A method of preparing a self-contained life plant growth mixture comprising,

• coating particles of plant growth material with an aqueous gel of a particulate, water insoluble, water swellable, cross-linked polymer of high gel capacity, there being present about 1/2 to about 3% of the polymer and from about 25 to 250% water by weight based on the dry weight of the particles, and
• forming the resulting mixture into a three-dimensional mass under sufficient pressure and drying of the formed mass sufficiently so that the mass does not break down on being wetted.

A method of preparing a self-contained live plant growth mixture comprising,

• coating particles of plant growth material with an aqueous gel of a particulate, water insoluble, water swellable cross-linked polymer of high gel capacity, there being present about 1/2 to 3% of polymer and from about 25 to 250% water by weight based on the dry weight of the particles,
• forming the resulting mixture into a three-dimensional mass under pressure of from about 2 to about 100 psig, and
• drying the formed mass sufficiently so that the mass does not break down upon being wetted.

A live plant growth matrix comprising,

• a stable, water insoluble, open-celled foamed polymer having a top portion, and
• an insert of a self-contained plant growth mixture comprised of particles of plant growth material coated with and bound together by an aqueous gel of a particulate, water insoluble cross-linked polymer of high gel capacity.

A live plant growth matrix comprising, a plant growth medium having an open-celled structure, and

• a self-contained plant growth mixture comprised of particles of plant growth material coated with and bound together by an aqueous gel of a particulate, water insoluble, cross-linked polymer of high gel capacity.

A live plant growth matrix comprising,

• a stable, water insoluble, open-celled foamed polymer having a top portion, and
• an insert of a self-contained plant growth mixture comprised of plant growth particles coated with and bound together by an aqueous gel comprising from about 1/2 to about 3% of a particulate, water insoluble, cross-linked polymer of high gel capacity, based on the dry weight of the plant growth particles inserted into the top portion of the foamed polymer.

A plant matrix comprising,

• a stable, water insoluble, open-celled foamed polymer having a top portion, and
• from about 4 parts to about 28 parts by weight of a water swellable polymer to about 100 parts of polyol dispersed throughout the foamed polymer, and
• an insert of a self-contained plant growth mixture comprised of plant growth particles coated with and bound together by an aqueous gel of a particulate, water insoluble, cross-linked polymer of high gel capacity inserted into the top portion of the foamed polymer.

A live plant growth matrix comprising,

• a stable, water insoluble, open-celled foamed polymer having a top portion, and from about 4 parts to about 28 parts by weight of a water swellable polymer to about 100 parts of polyol dispersed throughout the foamed polymer, and
• an insert of a self-contained plant growth mixture comprised of plant growth particles coated with and bound together by an aqueous gel of a particulate, water insoluble, cross-linked polymer of high gel capacity inserted into the top portion of the foamed polymer.

A self-contained live plant growth mixture comprising,

• from about 1/2 to about 3% by weight of a particulate, water insoluble, water swellable cross-linked polymer, and
• the remainder particles of plant growth material,
• the water swellable polymer being gelled and coating the plant growth particles and binding them into a cohesive mass.