Growth substrate product formed of mineral wool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11516974-B2
Application number	US-201113703188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2011
Priority date	Jun 30, 2010
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

This invention includes a coherent growth substrate product formed of mineral wool, the product having two opposed top and bottom surfaces and a seed hole extending from the top surface towards the bottom surface, the base of the seed hole defining a seed bed, wherein the volume of the growth substrate product is not more than 150 cm3, and wherein the seed bed has a width of at least 5 mm.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coherent growth substrate product formed of mineral wool, the product having a top surface opposed from a bottom surface and a seed hole extending from the top surface towards the bottom surface, the base of the seed hole defining a seed bed, wherein the volume of the growth substrate product is not more than 150 cm 3 , wherein the seed bed has a width in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm and a depth in the range of 7 mm to 15 mm, wherein the density of the mineral wool immediately surrounding the seed hole is greater than the density of the remainder of the mineral wool forming the growth substrate product, wherein the density of the growth substrate product is 70-85 kg/m 3 , and wherein the seed bed is generally circular or generally elliptical and wherein the base of the seed bed is substantially flat.

2. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 in which the seed bed has a width at least 6 mm.

3. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 in which the seed bed has a width at its narrowest point of not more than 8 mm.

4. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 in which the seed hole has a depth at least 9 mm.

5. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 in which the seed hole has a depth not more than 15 mm.

6. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 in which the seed hole is generally cylindrical or generally frustoconical.

7. A growth substrate according to claim 1 comprising at least one wetting agent.

8. A method for forming a seedling, comprising:
providing, during a propagation stage of a commercial plant growing operation, a growth substrate product according to claim 1 ;
positioning the product such that the top surface is uppermost;
positioning a seed on the seed bed of the product;
irrigating the growth substrate product; and
allowing germination and growth of the seed to form a seedling.

9. A method according to claim 8 in which the seed bed has a width at least 6 mm.

10. A method according to claim 8 in which no particulate covering material is applied on top of the seed on the seed bed.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the seed is positioned in the seed hole using a nozzle seeder.

12. A process of making a growth substrate product as defined in claim 1 comprising providing a coherent mass of mineral wool having volume not more than 150 cm 3 and opposed top and bottom surfaces and forming in the mass of mineral wool a seed hole extending from the top surface towards the bottom surface, and having a base defining a seed bed, the seed bed having a width at of at least 5 mm, wherein the seed hole is formed by punching.

13. A process according to claim 12 in which the seed bed has a width at least 6 mm.

14. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 in which the seed bed has a width at its narrowest point of not more than 7 mm.

15. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 in which the seed hole has a depth not more than 12 mm.

16. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 in which a seed is located in the seed hole and a film or sheet extends across, and is connected to, the top surface of the product so as to cover the seed hole.

17. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 further comprising: a seed located in the seed bed; and wherein the top of the seed bed is free of a particulate covering.

18. A growth substrate product according to claim 1 , wherein the growth substrate product comprises a binder and a wetting agent, the wetting agent being present in an amount (by weight) of 0.01 to 5% based on the weight of the binder, wherein the coherent growth substrate product is adapted for use in a commercial plant growing operation.

Assignees

• Cuypers Jean Marie Wilhelmus
• Hempenius Eelke Gjalt
• Rockwool Int

Inventors

• Cuypers Jean Marie Wilhelmus
• Hempenius Eelke Gjalt

Classifications

• A01G24/44

  in block, mat or sheet form · CPC title

• A01G24/42

  of granular or aggregated structure · CPC title

• A01G24/18 Primary

  containing inorganic fibres, e.g. mineral wool · CPC title

• A01G9/029

  Receptacles for seedlings (growth substrates in block form A01G24/44) · CPC title