A METHOD FOR PRODUCING A DRY PREFORMED PLANT GROWTH SUBSTRATE AND A DRY PREFORMED PLANT GROWTH SUBSTRATE

Abstract

A method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate and to a dry preformed plant growth substrate. The dry preformed growth substrate includes a solid substrate body having a top surface, a bottom surface and an outer surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface around the solid substrate body, seeds arranged inside the solid substrate body, and the solid substrate body including in a dry state at least one plant-derived component and an adhesive component forming a mixture in a form of a solid substrate body, and the solid substrate body further including natamycin.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate arranged to be used for growing plants in an indoor garden device, wherein the method comprises steps of: producing a mixture by mixing a plant-derived component and solvent together; providing a mould having a 3-dimensional shape for a preformed growth substrate; directing the mixture into the mould for forming the preformed growth substrate; stabilizing the mixture inside the mould into the preformed growth substrate; removing the preformed growth substrate from the mould after stabilizing; drying the preformed growth substrate to below 20% moisture content to form a dry preformed growth substrate before adding seeds into the dry preformed growth substrate; and forming the dry preformed growth substrate into the dry preformed plant growth substrate by adding seeds into the dry preformed growth substrate, the method further comprises a step of: applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate; or applying natamycin suspension to the dry preformed growth substrate; or applying natamycin suspension to the dry preformed plant growth substrate.

17. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate comprises: applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate after the step of: directing the mixture into a mould for forming a preformed growth substrate, and before the step of: stabilizing the mixture inside the mould into the preformed growth substrate.

18. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate comprises: applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate after the step of: stabilizing the mixture inside the mould into the dry preformed growth substrate, and before the step of: removing the preformed growth substrate from the mould after stabilizing.

19. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate comprises: applying natamycin suspension to the dry preformed growth substrate after the step of: drying the preformed growth substrate to below 20% moisture content to form the dry preformed growth substrate before adding seeds into the dry preformed growth substrate; and before the step of: forming the dry preformed growth substrate into the dry preformed plant growth substrate by adding seeds into the dry preformed growth substrate.

20. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate comprises: applying natamycin suspension to the dry preformed plant growth substrate after the step of: forming the dry preformed growth substrate into the dry preformed plant growth substrate by adding seeds into the dry preformed growth substrate.

21. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate comprises: spraying the natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate.

22. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of directing the mixture into mould comprises: directing the mixture into the mould to form a top surface of the preformed growth substrate, and the step of applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate comprises: applying natamycin suspension to the top surface of the preformed growth substrate; or applying natamycin suspension to the top surface of the dry preformed growth substrate; or applying natamycin suspension to the top surface of the dry preformed plant growth substrate.

23. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of forming the dry preformed growth substrate into the dry preformed plant growth substrate comprises: placing the seeds in the dry preformed growth substrate at a depth relative to a top surface of the dry preformed growth substrate.

24. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of producing the mixture further comprises: mixing at least one functional additive together with the plant-derived component and solvent, or mixing an adhesive component together with the plant-derived component and solvent, or mixing an adhesive component together with the plant-derived component and solvent and further mixing at least one other functional additive together with the plant-derived component, the adhesive component and solvent.

25. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the method comprises a step of: dispersing natamycin in solvent, ethanol, or propanol such that the natamycin suspension having a concentration of 2-10% by mass prior to the step of applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate.

26. The method for producing a dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 16, wherein the step of applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate comprises: applying natamycin suspension to the preformed growth substrate or the dry preformed growth substrate or to the dry preformed plant growth substrate in amount maximum 2.0 litre/m2.

27. A dry preformed plant growth substrate for growing plants in an indoor garden device, wherein the dry preformed growth substrate comprises: a solid substrate body having a top surface, a bottom surface and an outer surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface around the solid substrate body, seeds arranged inside the solid substrate body, the solid substrate body comprising in a dry state: at least one plant-derived component and an adhesive component, which are interconnected to form a stable porous structure in a form of a solid substrate body, the solid substrate body further comprising natamycin.

28. The dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 27, wherein the natamycin is provided on the top surface of the solid substrate body.

29. The dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 27, wherein the natamycin is provided on the outer surface of the solid substrate body.

30. The dry preformed plant growth substrate according to claim 27, wherein the natamycin is provided in the structure of the solid substrate body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The invention is described in detail by means of specific embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which

[0038] FIG. 1a shows an embodiment of the method according to the invention; and

[0039] FIG. 1b shows a preformed growth substrate according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] FIG. 1a shows an embodiment of the method according to the invention in which the molds 2 are movable relative to the stationary feeding point from which the mixture 20 and the natamycin suspension 30 are supplied to the molds 2.

[0041] In the first phase the mixture 20 which is produced by mixing a plant-derived component and solvent together is directed into a mould 2 for forming a preformed growth substrate 1. The mixture 20 may further comprise an adhesive component. The mould 2 has a predetermined form which makes the preformed shape of the substrate 1. According to the part of the method shown in FIG. 1 after the mixture 20 is directed to the mould 2, the natamycin suspension 30 is applied to the mixture 20 provided in the mould 2 such that the natamycin suspension 30 is applied to the top surface 11 formed when the mixture is poured into the mould 2. The mixture 20 can stabile before the application of the natamycin suspension 30 and/or after the application of natamycin suspension 30.

[0042] Depending on the composition of the mixture and the properties of the plant-derived component and the possible adhesive component, the mixture stabilizes in the mould 2 into the preformed growth substrate 1 a period of time which can be from second into hours. After the stabilization, the preformed growth substrate 1 is removed from the mould 2.

[0043] FIG. 1b shows the preformed growth substrate 1 which is removed from the mould 2 and the phase in which the seeds 40 are added to the preformed growth substrate 1. The growth substrate 1 has the moisture content below 20% in order to prevent germination of the seeds 40 provided inside the growth substrate 1. The dry preformed growth substrate 1 as shown in FIG. 1b comprises a solid substrate body 10 having a top surface 11, a bottom surface 12 and an outer surface 13 extending between the top surface 11 and the bottom surface 12 around the solid substrate body 10 and seeds 4 arranged inside the solid substrate body 10. In this embodiment of the invention the solid substrate body 10 further comprising in a dry state at least one plant-derived component and an adhesive component forming a mixture 2 in a form of a solid substrate body 10 and natamycin.

[0044] The invention has been described above with reference to the examples shown in the figures. However, the invention is in no way restricted to the above examples but may vary within the scope of the claims.