Rooting media and methods of making the same

Claim 2

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.

Claim 3

The rooting media set forth in claim 1, wherein said body has an apparent density on a dry basis of from about 0.18 gm. per cc. to about 0.3 gm. per cc.

Claim 4

The rooting medium set forth in claim 1, wherein said body in the dry condition can pick up approximately 3 times its weight in water.

Claim 5

The rooting medium set forth in claim 1, wherein said polymer comprises from about 15% to about 30% by weight on a dry basis of said rooting media.

Claim 6

The rooting medium set forth in claim 1, wherein said polymer is a polyurethane polymer.

Claim 7

The rooting medium set forth in claim 5, wherein said polyurethane polymer is a reaction product of toluene diisocyanate with a polyester having unreacted hydroxyl groups thereon and water.

Claim 8

The rooting medium set forth in claim 1, and further comprising a fertilizer source of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium distributed throughout said body of sponge-like polymer.

Claim 9

The rooting medium set forth in claim 1, and further comprising a slowly available source of calcium and magnesium distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer.

Claim 10

The section of rooting medium set forth in claim 1, wherein said soil mix is a mixture of a natural organic soil and an agricultural modified mineral selected from the group consisting of perlite and vermiculite.

Claim 11

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.

Claim 12

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.

Claim 13

The section of rooting medium set forth in claim 10, wherein said polymer is a polyurethane polymer.

Claim 14

The section of rooting medium set forth in claim 10, wherein said polymer is a reaction product of toluene diisocyanate with a polyester having unreacted hydroxyl groups thereon and water.

Claim 15

The section of rooting medium set forth in claim 10, wherein said body has an apparent density on a dry basis of from about 0.18 gm. per cc. to about 0.3 gm. per cc.

Claim 16

The section of rooting medium set forth in claim 10, wherein said body in the dry condition can take up about three times its weight in water.

Claim 17

The section of rooting medium set forth in claim 10, and further comprising a fertilizer source of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer.

Claim 18

The section of rooting medium set forth in claim 10, and further comprising a slowly available source of calcium and magnesium distributed throughout said body of spongy polymer.

Claim 19

The section of rooting medium set forth in claim 10, wherein said soil mixture is a mixture of a natural organic soil and an agricultural modified mineral selected from the group consisting of perlite and vermiculite.

Claim 20

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.

Claim 21

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.

Claim 22

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.

Claim 23

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.