A seed ball for use in reforestation and horticulture, the seed ball comprising a seed encapsulated within a seed encapsulant, comprising soil, clay and biochar. Apparatus for making the seed ball include a roller mill and a press mill.

A seed ball for use in reforestation and horticulture, the seed ball comprising a seed encapsulated within a seed encapsulant, comprising soil, clay and biochar. Apparatus for making the seed ball include a roller mill and a press mill.

A device and a method for introducing seeds or seedlings into a substrate strand, and to a substrate strand encased by a sheath, and to a system for cultivating plants using a substrate strand. The substrate strand is enclosed by a sheath, and the space enveloped by the sheath is filled with a plant substrate. Openings are introduced into the sheath at a predetermined point, through which openings the seeds or seedlings are inserted into the plant substrate. The advantage of the invention lies in substantial automation of these operations in order to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

A device and a method for introducing seeds or seedlings into a substrate strand, and to a substrate strand encased by a sheath, and to a system for cultivating plants using a substrate strand. The substrate strand is enclosed by a sheath, and the space enveloped by the sheath is filled with a plant substrate. Openings are introduced into the sheath at a predetermined point, through which openings the seeds or seedlings are inserted into the plant substrate. The advantage of the invention lies in substantial automation of these operations in order to increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

A plant growing vessel includes an impervious outer vessel, a cover, a first permeable membrane, a nutrient chamber, and a pocket. The impervious outer vessel includes an inert substrate in a root zone. The cover is positioned over the impervious outer vessel. The first permeable membrane is in contact with the inert substrate. The nutrient chamber includes solid nutrients. The nutrient chamber is between the cover and the first permeable membrane or between the first permeable membrane and a bottom of the impervious outer vessel, and the solid nutrients are in contact with the first permeable membrane. The pocket is configured to allow seeds, seedlings, or shoots of plants access to the inert substrate through an aperture in the cover.

A plant growing vessel includes an impervious outer vessel, a cover, a first permeable membrane, a nutrient chamber, and a pocket. The impervious outer vessel includes an inert substrate in a root zone. The cover is positioned over the impervious outer vessel. The first permeable membrane is in contact with the inert substrate. The nutrient chamber includes solid nutrients. The nutrient chamber is between the cover and the first permeable membrane or between the first permeable membrane and a bottom of the impervious outer vessel, and the solid nutrients are in contact with the first permeable membrane. The pocket is configured to allow seeds, seedlings, or shoots of plants access to the inert substrate through an aperture in the cover.

A container for growing a plant. The container includes at least one container wall having a surface, the container wall having one or more light reflective and/or refractive members attached thereto. The one or more light reflective and/or refractive members may include one or more silicate microbeads that are buffered to neutrality. The container may contain a plant, and the one or more light reflective and/or refractive members may be positioned in the container to redistribute light toward the plant, and may be present in an amount effective to cause harmful light saturation of the plant. To safen the plant from such harmful light, the container also may contain one or more glycopyranosidic compounds, such as one or more alkyl-α-D-mannosides.

A container for growing a plant. The container includes at least one container wall having a surface, the container wall having one or more light reflective and/or refractive members attached thereto. The one or more light reflective and/or refractive members may include one or more silicate microbeads that are buffered to neutrality. The container may contain a plant, and the one or more light reflective and/or refractive members may be positioned in the container to redistribute light toward the plant, and may be present in an amount effective to cause harmful light saturation of the plant. To safen the plant from such harmful light, the container also may contain one or more glycopyranosidic compounds, such as one or more alkyl-α-D-mannosides.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a coherent growth substrate product formed of man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF), comprising the steps of (vi) providing MMVF; (vii) providing an uncured binder composition; (viii) providing a superabsorbent polymer; (ix) forming a mixture of the MMVF, the uncured binder composition and the superabsorbent polymer; (x) curing the uncured binder composition in the mixture to form the coherent growth substrate product; wherein the uncured binder composition comprises at least one hydrocolloid.

This invention is related to a new substrate (6) for soilless cultivation consisting of a three-dimensional reticular structure which is elastically compressible, with empty cells bounded by threads made of polymer or any other material which are chemically inert, hydro-phobic or weakly hydrophilic. For example, the substrate which consists of a lattice made of threads in polyethylene (6) compressed into a container (4) equipped with an irrigation system (3) and with a support (2) where the plants have been inserted (5). The system is a closed cycle wherein the stored solution (1) is recirculated.