Patent Application
20210045299
The embodiments generally relate to plant growing mediums and nutrient compositions as well as processes of making the same.
Soil mixtures have been used for growing plants for thousands of years. Many soil mixtures are optimized with nutrients to provide favorable growing conditions throughout a plant's growth cycle.
A wide variety of plant growth mediums are currently employed in various agricultural settings including sphagnum moss peat pots, composted hardwood bark, composted manure, foam plastic material, compressed spun basalt, and pots filled with perlite, vermiculite, or expanded clay. Each growth medium has drawbacks due to the contents of the utilized medium. For example, peat has a high tannin content, while the spun basalt and plastics are unpleasant to handle and are often expensive. Compressed growth media helps in providing an easy mode for transporting the composition while effectively preventing water intrusion or germination of the seeds.
Coconut coir pith is a by-product of the coconut husk fiber processing industry. Coir is the name given to the fibrous material that constitutes the mesocarp of the coconut fruit produced by the Cocos nucifera. The coconut coir pith provides an excellent growth medium due to its lack of extraneous growth material, offering an advantageous alternative to sphagnum.
This summary is provided to introduce a variety of concepts in a simplified form that is further disclosed in the detailed description of the embodiments. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The embodiments described herein provide a plant growth medium composition and production process thereof. The growing medium comprises a coconut coir pith and one or more additives mixed into the coconut coir pith which is processed into a formed growth medium suitable for facilitating the growth of one or more plants.
In one aspect, the additives are comprised of one or more of the following: zeolite, limestone, limerock, calcium carbonate, attapulgite, coral, marble, bentonite clay, fillers earth, nitrogen cake, kaolin, bauxite, alumina trihydrate, aluminum oxide, and titanium dioxide.
In one aspect, the coconut coir pith and additive mixture is provided with a suitable amount of heat and pressure to form the coconut coir pith and additive mixture into a shape selected by the grower or retailer.
In one aspect, the one or more additives are applied to an exterior surface of the coconut coir pith and additive mixture.
In one aspect, the coconut coir pith and additive mixture is provided with a packaging having a handle. In some embodiments, the packaging may contain structural support members such as a ribbed support strap to reduce the likelihood of breakage during transportation of the product.
A production process for producing a plant growing medium is disclosed. A plurality of coconuts are sourced, cracked, and dehusked to remove the meat from the interior of the coconut. The de-husked coconuts are then washed and mulched to produce the coconut coir pith. One or more additives are then added to the coconut coir pith based on grower or retailer specifications. Heat and pressure are applied to the coconut coir pith and additive mixture to form a shape. Once the shape is formed, the additive mixture is then further applied to the exterior of the processed coconut coir pith and additive mixture, which may then be packaged before delivery to the consumer.
A complete understanding of the present embodiments and the advantages and features thereof will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The specific details of the single embodiment or variety of embodiments described herein are to the described composition and production processes thereof. Any specific details of the embodiments are used for demonstration purposes only, and no unnecessary limitations or inferences are to be understood therefrom.
Before describing in detail exemplary embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of components of the composition and the production process thereof. Accordingly, the components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
In general, the embodiments disclosed herein relate to plant growth media having additives to facilitate the entire growth cycle of the plant. The growth medium composition is a mixture of coconut coir pith and plant nutrients which is formed into various shapes, sizes, and configurations described herein. The embodiments also relate to a production process for the growth medium and additive mixture.
The coconut coir pith has various benefits as a growth medium. It increases the organic matter content of the soil, and due to its high lignin to cellulose ratio, it remains in the soil significantly longer than peat compositions. The coconut coir pith also improves water-holding capacity over many soil types while promoting adequate drainage if overwatered.
As used herein, the term “coconut coir pith” is intended to refer to both the coconut husk pith and the short coir fibers which are known to provide an excellent growing medium and to provide a suitable and sustainable substitute for soilless growing media such as peat moss (sphagnum, sedge, hypnum and the like) for growing plants. Coconut coir pith has many physical and horticultural characteristics that make it an ideal growing medium for plants. Coconut coir pith has a high water holding capacity, ideal porosity, high cation exchange capacity, and high stability (slow rate of degradation due to high lignin to cellulose ratio, which prevents oxidation).
The coconut coir pith may be processed into various forms including flakes, particles, pellets, slurries, or otherwise processed into a usable form. As used herein, the term “granules” is intended to include all granular forms and shapes, including flakes, particles, pellets, slurries, and the like. The coconut coir pith may be mixed with a suitable percentage by weight of horticulturally acceptable organic or non-organic media such as sphagnum peat, humus peat, sedge peat, bark, rice hulls, and any other material and/or mixtures thereof which are known to those skilled in the arts.
As used herein, the term “additive(s)” relates to any substance added to the coconut coir pith such as fertilizers, micronutrients, pH adjusting agents such as lime, pesticides, herbicides, and/or various wetting agents including horticulturally acceptable surfactants and other additives designed to enhance or protect germination, development, and/or growth of seeds and plants implanted in the growth medium described in the various embodiments herein.
In some embodiments, the additives may include horticulturally acceptable amounts of zeolite, lime (including limestone and limerock), calcium carbonate, attapulgite, coral, marble, bentonite clay, fillers earth, nitrogen cake, kaolin, bauxite, alumina trihydrate, aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide, and any other organic or non-organic mineral, soil, or soil additive product. One skilled in the arts of horticulture will understand that various other additives may be implemented in the plant growth medium.
Some additional additives may include but are not limited to apatite, clays (hydrated aluminum silicates, coal, aluminum oxide, diatomaceous earth, erionite, feldspar, flint, calcium fluoride, granite, hydrated calcium sulfate, mica, pumice, sandstone, silica, slate, talc, and calcium silicate.
In reference to
In some embodiments, the additive mixture provided to the surface of the processed coconut coir pith and additive mixture may be the same as, or may differ from the additive mixture mixed with the coconut coir pith. The selection of the composition and amounts of the processed coconut coir pith and additive mixture 100 may be determined by the consumer, grower, or retailer.
In some embodiments, one or more support members 407 are provided on one or more sides of the packaging to reinforce the packaging and prevent breakage of the formed coconut coir pith and additive mixture. In some embodiments, the one or more support members 407 may be provided with an adhesive to facilitate attachment to the surface of the packaging.
In reference to
In some embodiments, formed coconut coir pith and additive mixture 100 is provided with one or more apertures 101 to receive a plant and facilitate the growth thereof. The apertures 101 may be formed into one or more surfaces of the formed coconut coir pith and additive mixture 100.
Many different embodiments have been disclosed herein, in connection with the above description and the drawings. It will be understood that it would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to describe and illustrate every combination and subcombination of these embodiments. Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any way and/or combination, and the present specification, including the drawings, shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of all combinations and subcombinations of the embodiments described herein, and of the manner and process of making and using them, and shall support claims to any such combination or subcombination.
An equivalent substitution of two or more elements can be made for anyone of the elements in the claims below or that a single element can be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements can be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination can be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present embodiment is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the following claims.
