A method for making a growing medium includes a step of combining tree bark and/or wood components together to form an initial composition; heating the initial composition to a temperature greater than about 149 C. under steam in a pressurized vessel; processing the initial composition through a refiner with a plurality of opposing disks to obtain the fibrous growing medium, the refiner separating fibers from each other; wherein the growing medium has total porosity of 88 volume % or more.

A biological microbial drug for treating skin diseases as well as a preparation method and application thereof. The biological microbial drug includes Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated in a medium added with a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combination, and the TCM combination includes Sangusis draconis, Astragalus membranaceus, Schisandra chinensis, Herba epimedii, Eucommia ulmoides, Chinese wolfberry and Cortex dictamni. The dry biological microbial drug can be brewed like tea or boiled with water, and is non-bitter, non-toxic, tasteless, free of side effects, green, natural, and suitable for the treatment of psoriasis, eczema, urticaria and neurodermatitis.

A method for making a growing medium includes a step of combining tree bark and/or wood components together to form an initial composition; heating the initial composition to a temperature greater than about 149 C. under steam in a pressurized vessel; processing the initial composition through a refiner with a plurality of opposing disks to obtain the fibrous growing medium, the refiner separating fibers from each other; wherein the growing medium has total porosity of 88 volume % or more.

A method for making a dyed mulch composition or a dyed growing medium, the method comprising combining tree bark including one or more pigments and/or pigment precursors and wood components together to form an initial composition; heating the initial composition at a temperature greater than about 149 C. under steam in a pressurized vessel; processing the initial composition through a refiner with a plurality of opposing disks, the refiner separating the tree bark and wood components into fibers and separating the fibers from each other; and dyeing the wood components by the one or more pigments and/or pigment precursors while the tree bark and the wood components are being separated into fibers in the refiner to obtain dyed fibers.

The self watering bottle planter insert allows a regular bottle to be transformed into a hydroponic planter. The self watering bottle planter insert is insertable into a bottle and removes the need for a separate source of nutrients. The planter uses composite media with an enriched substrate layered beneath a more standard hydroponic growth media to add nutrients to the water for the life cycle of the plant.

The self watering bottle planter insert allows a regular bottle to be transformed into a hydroponic planter. The self watering bottle planter insert is insertable into a bottle and removes the need for a separate source of nutrients. The planter uses composite media with an enriched substrate layered beneath a more standard hydroponic growth media to add nutrients to the water for the life cycle of the plant.

According to at least one embodiment, a growing medium and method of making said growing medium is shown and described. This medium may include at least a first and second component such that at least one of the first or second component is coconut coir and the other of the at least first or second component is a wood fiber. In one embodiment, the at least first and second component are combined and then compressed via heat and pressure resulting in a finished medium for an end user.

According to at least one embodiment, a growing medium and method of making said growing medium is shown and described. This medium may include at least a first and second component such that at least one of the first or second component is coconut coir and the other of the at least first or second component is a wood fiber. In one embodiment, the at least first and second component are combined and then compressed via heat and pressure resulting in a finished medium for an end user.

A hydroponic growing medium (39) comprising a three-dimensional self-supporting substrate (39) having a dry bulk density of about 1.8 lb/ft.sup.3 (28.83 kg/m.sup.3) to 10 lb/ft.sup.3 (160.185 kg/m.sup.3) and including at least about 2 to 10 weight % of a man-made fiber portion (24) and at least about 90 to 98 weight % of a natural fiber portion (22) having wood fiber, based on the total weight of the hydroponic growing medium (39).

A hydroponic growing medium (39) comprising a three-dimensional self-supporting substrate (39) having a dry bulk density of about 1.8 lb/ft.sup.3 (28.83 kg/m.sup.3) to 10 lb/ft.sup.3 (160.185 kg/m.sup.3) and including at least about 2 to 10 weight % of a man-made fiber portion (24) and at least about 90 to 98 weight % of a natural fiber portion (22) having wood fiber, based on the total weight of the hydroponic growing medium (39).