Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A compressed growing medium or mulch fiber opener comprising at least one set of adjacent rotating members, the rotating members having a surface and including at least one wire wound around at least a portion of the surface, wherein the wire includes a plurality of projections engaging compressed or partially opened growing medium or mulch fiber, and wherein a distance between the adjacent rotating members is sufficiently small to create at least one pinch point between the adjacent rotating members, the adjacent rotating members separating the fibers as the fibers pass through the at least one pinch point so that the density of the fiber is lowered by at least 50-95%.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A compressed growing medium or mulch fiber opener comprising at least one set of adjacent rotating members, the rotating members having a surface and including at least one wire wound around at least a portion of the surface, wherein the wire includes a plurality of projections engaging compressed or partially opened growing medium or mulch fiber, and wherein a distance between the adjacent rotating members is sufficiently small to create at least one pinch point between the adjacent rotating members, the adjacent rotating members separating the fibers as the fibers pass through the at least one pinch point so that the density of the fiber is lowered.

Abstract: A compressed growing medium or mulch fiber opener comprising at least one set of adjacent rotating members, the rotating members having a surface and including at least one wire wound around at least a portion of the surface, wherein the wire includes a plurality of projections engaging compressed or partially opened growing medium or mulch fiber, and wherein a distance between the adjacent rotating members is sufficiently small to create at least one pinch point between the adjacent rotating members, the adjacent rotating members separating the fibers as the fibers pass through the at least one pinch point so that the density of the fiber is lowered by at least 50-95%.

Abstract: A compressed horticultural slab includes a substrate including a plurality of fibers compressed in a volume ratio of initial to compressed fiber of 1:4 to 1:60, the plurality of fibers having a shape of the slab, a first set of dimensions when the substrate has a moisture content of up to about 20 to 25 wt. % and a second set of dimensions when the moisture content increases above about 20 to 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the substrate, the second set of dimensions having greater values than the first set of dimensions.

Abstract: A fiber mat includes natural wood fibers formed into an elongated strip having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having a first plurality of channels extending into the elongated strip, each of the first plurality of channels having a channel depth being different in a central portion of the mat than in an edge portion of the mat.

Abstract: Systems and methods for erasing content stored on a set top box via a dedicated input object of a remote input device are described. A set top box (STB) receives a request to activate the set top box. The STB can create a storage location to which the STB is configured to store identifiers and passwords of a guest. The STB stores one or more user identifiers and passwords of the guest that correspond to one of one or more applications or web services accessed via the device. The STB receives, from a remote control device via a wireless communication, a command to delete the user identifiers and passwords stored on the STB responsive to selection of a delete button on the remote control device. An agent executing on the STB can delete the one or more user identifiers and passwords from the STB responsive to receipt of the command.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A hydroponic growing medium (39) comprising a three-dimensional self-supporting substrate (39) having a dry bulk density of about 1.8 lb/ft3 (28.83 kg/m3) to 10 lb/ft3 (160.185 kg/m3) 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).

Abstract: A compressed horticultural slab includes a substrate including a plurality of fibers compressed in a volume ratio of initial to compressed fiber of 1:4 to 1:20, the plurality of fibers having a shape of the slab, a first set of dimensions when the substrate has a moisture content of up to about 20 to 25 wt. % and a second set of dimensions when the moisture content increases above about 20 to 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the substrate, the second set of dimensions having greater values than the first set of dimensions.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A growing medium comprising fibrous tree bark and fibrous wood components, wherein the fibers of the growing medium have an average length to width ratio, such that the growing medium has a dry bulk density of about 60 kg/m3 or lower and wet bulk density of about 120 kg/m3 or lower.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A growing medium comprising fibrous tree bark and fibrous wood components, wherein the fibers of the growing medium have an average length to width ratio, such that the growing medium has a dry bulk density of about 60 kg/m3 or lower and wet bulk density of about 120 kg/m3 or lower.