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US 4,175,355 AGranted
Rooting media and methods of making the same
AssigneeGravi-Mechanics Co.
InventorRichard R. Dedolph
Life of this patent
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AssigneeGravi-Mechanics Co.
InventorRichard R. Dedolph
Estimating the term…
A rooting media in the form of a resilient, integral body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer forming a first essentially continuous phase extending throughout the body and having passages therethrough forming a second essentially continuous phase extending throughout the body, a quantity of particles of soil mixture distributed throughout the body of spongy polymer and held thereby with a substantial portion of the surface area of the particles of soil mixture exposed and in communication with the passages, the exposed particles of soil mixture providing colloidal contact exchange surfaces in communication with the passages and having collectively a porosity maintenance capacity and a water holding capacity and an ion exchange capacity and a pH buffering capacity; also disclosed is a method of making such a body of rooting media, as well as a release agent useful in that method; there further is disclosed a particular form of rooting media for use in propagation by air layering and a method of propagation by air layering.
A rooting medium for use in plant propagation and growing comprising a resilient, integral body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer forming a first essentially continuous phase extending throughout said body and having passages therethrough forming a second essentially continuous phase extending throughot said body, a quantity of particles of soil mix distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer and held thereby with a substantial portion of the surface area of said particles of soil mix exposed and in communication with said passages, the exposed particles of soil mix providing colloidal contact exchange surfaces in communication with said passages and having collectively a porosity maintenance capacity and a water holding capacity and an ion exchange capacity and and a pH buffering capacity, said passages facilitating the growth of roots through said body and against the exposed surfaces of said particles of soil mix and the contact exchange surfaces provided thereby so as to effect direct ion uptake therewith, said passages also providing ready entry for water and air throughout said body and against the exposed surfaces of the particles of soil mix and the roots growing in said passages, whereby to provide a highly advantageous rooting medium for growing plants.
A section of rooting medium for use in air layering comprising a resilient, integral body generally cylindrical in form and having an opening longitudinally therethrough to receive a stem with a split interconnecting said opening and the outer surface of said body, said body having a spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer forming a first initially continuous phase extending through said body and having passages therethrough forming a second initially continuous phase extending through said body, a quantity of particles of soil mixture distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer and held thereby with a substantial portion of the surface area of said particles of soil mixture exposed and in communication with said passages, the exposed particles of soil mixture providing colloidal contact exchange surfaces in communication with said passages and having collectively a porosity maintenance capacity and a water holding capacity and an ion exchange capacity and a pH buffering capacity, said passages facilitating the growth of roots through said body and against the exposed surfaces of said particles of soil mixture and the contact exchange surfaces provided thereby so as to effect direct ion uptake therewith, said passages also providing ready entry for water and air through said body and against the exposed surfaces of the particles of soil mixture and the roots growing in said passages.
A rooting medium for use in plant propagation and growing comprising a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer with a quantity of particles of soil mix distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer, a mixture of the soil mix in water having added thereto foam-forming synthetic organic plastic prepolymer thereafter reacted in situ to form said body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding said particles of soil mix therein and into a rooting medium, and said polymer comprises from about 15% to about 30% by weight on a dry basis of said rooting medium.
A rooting medium for use in plant propagation and growing comprising a body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer with a quantity of particles of soil mix distributed throughout sid body of spongy polymer, a mixture of the soil mix in water having added thereto foam-forming precursors of a thermosetting resin thereafter reacted in situ to form said body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer binding said particles of soil mix therein and into a cohesive rooting medium, and said polymer comprises from about 15% to about 30% by weight on a dry basis of said rooting medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.