Growing medium containing combusted bark particles

A growing medium for seeds, cuttings, plants and the like comprising from about 10 to about 80 percent by volume of combusted bark particles in admixture with a horticultural material selected from the group consisting of natural soils, partially or fully decayed organic matter, undecayed particulate organic matter, natural or synthetic resins in particulate form, and mixtures thereof, said bark particles being the product recovered from the flue gases produced in a boiler furnace during the partial combustion of essentially bark removed from logs, the bark being combusted while in the form of particles of less than about 1 to 2 inches in size.

A growing medium especially suited for growing seeds, cuttings, plants and the like in containers, said medium comprising from about 10 to about 60 percent by volume of combusted bark particles, about 20 to about 50 percent by volume of a fibrous organic material, about 10 to about 30 percent by volume of an expanded lightweight aggregate, and from about 1 to about 15 percent by volume of a densifying inorganic aggregate material, said combusted bark particles being the product obtained by partially combusting in a furnace essentially the bark, in particulate form, removed from logs.

A growing medium especially suited for growing seeds, cuttings, plants and the like in containers, said medium comprising from about 10 to about 60 percent by volume of combusted bark particles, about 20 to about 50 percent of a fibrous organic material selected from the group consisting of peat moss and composted non-combusted bark, about 10 to about 30 percent by volume of expanded vermiculite, and from about 1 to about 15 percent by volume of a densifying inorganic aggregate having a density of at least about 50 lbs. per cubic foot, said combusted bark particles being the product recovered from the flue gases produced in a boiler furnace during the partial combustion of essentially bark removed from logs, the bark being combusted while in the form of particles of less than about 1 to 2 inches in size.

The method which comprises the steps of (a) providing a growing medium comprising combusted bark particles obtained as the product of partially combusting in a furnace essentially the bark, in particulate form, removed from logs;

• (b) placing said growing medium in a container;
• and (c) placing a seed or plant in said growing medium.

The method which comprises the steps of (a) providing a growing medium comprising from about 20 to about 80 percent by volume of combusted bark particles in admixture with a horticultural material selected from the group consisting of natural soils, partially or fully decayed organic matter, undecayed particulate organic matter, natural or synthetic resins in particulate form, and mixtures thereof, said bark particles being the product recovered from the flue gases produced during the partial combustion of essentially bark removed from logs, the bark being combusted while in the form of particles of less than about 1 to 2 inches in size;

• (b) placing said growing medium in a container, and (c) placing a seed or plant in said growing medium.