Abstract: This invention includes a coherent growth substrate product formed of mineral wool, the product having two opposed top and bottom surfaces and a seed hole extending from the top surface towards the bottom surface, the base of the seed hole defining a seed bed, wherein the volume of the growth substrate product is not more than 150 cm3, and wherein the seed bed has a width of at least 5 mm.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing plants in a mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprising: providing at least one mineral wool growth substrate comprising man-made vitreous fibers bonded with a cured binder composition, and positioning one or more seeds or plants for growth in the growth substrate, and allowing growth of the one or more plants, wherein the binder composition prior to curing comprises: a) a sugar component, and b) a reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid component and an alkanolamine component, wherein the binder composition prior to curing contains at least 42% by weight of the sugar component based on the total weight (dry matter) of the binder components.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a particulate material comprising; providing mineral wool base material in a form having size at least 80% not more than 40 mm, subjecting the mineral wool base material to sintering by use of a pulse combustor and thereby forming a particulate material in the form of particles having size at least 80% not more than 20 mm. An apparatus for carrying out the method comprises means for size reduction of coherent mineral wool substrate and a reaction chamber in communication with a pulse combustor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a granular product, the method comprising providing waste stone wool product of which at least 90% is in coherent form having minimum dimension at least 50 mm and which has a content of at least 10% water, by weight of the waste stone wool product; producing a base material from the stone wool by reducing the coherent stone wool to particulate form such that at least 80% by weight of the base material is in the form of particles having size not more than 40 mm, and has water content not more than 50 wt % based on the particulate base material; forming the particulate base material into granules, wherein at least 80% by weight of the granules have size not more than 40 mm, and subjecting the granules to sintering at a temperature in the range 900 to 1050° C. to form a granular product wherein at least 80% by weight of the granular product is in the form of granules having size not more than 40 mm, and during the operation of the method no binder is added.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a particulate material comprising; providing mineral wool base material in a form having size at least 80% not more than 40 mm, subjecting the mineral wool base material to sintering by use of a pulse combustor and thereby forming a particulate material in the form of particles having size at least 80% not more than 20 mm. An apparatus for carrying out the method comprises means for size reduction of coherent mineral wool substrate and a reaction chamber in communication with a pulse combustor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a particulate material comprising; providing mineral wool base material in a form having size at least 80% not more than 40 mm, subjecting the mineral wool base material to sintering by use of a pulse combustor and thereby forming a particulate material in the form of particles having size at least 80% not more than 20 mm. An apparatus for carrying out the method comprises means for size reduction of coherent mineral wool substrate and a reaction chamber in communication with a pulse combustor.

Abstract: The invention provides a multiple density growth substrate product (1) formed of a coherent matrix of man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) bonded with binder, having an upper surface (2) provided with a recess (3) adapted to receive a seed or seedling and an opposite lower surface (4) on which the product rests when in use, the product being formed of at least two layers including an upper layer (5) positioned at the upper surface and having a first density and a lower layer (6) positioned at the opposite lower surface and having a second density, wherein the first density is less than the second density by at least 5 kg/m3 and wherein the loss on ignition (LOI) in the upper layer is at least 3.5 wt %.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing plants in a mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprising: providing at least one mineral wool growth substrate comprising man-made vitreous fibres bonded with a cured binder composition, and positioning one or more seeds or plants for growth in the growth substrate, and allowing growth of the one or more plants, wherein the binder composition prior to curing comprises: a) a sugar component, and b) a reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid component and an alkanolamine component, wherein the binder composition prior to curing contains at least 42% by weight of the sugar component based on the total weight (dry matter) of the binder components.

Abstract: This invention includes a coherent growth substrate product formed of mineral wool, the product having two opposed top and bottom surfaces and a seed hole extending from the top surface towards the bottom surface, the base of the seed hole defining a seed bed, wherein the volume of the growth substrate product is not more than 150 cm3, and wherein the seed bed has a width of at least 5 mm.

Abstract: This invention includes a coherent growth substrate product formed of mineral wool, the product having two opposed top and bottom surfaces and a channel which is open at the bottom surface and extends from the bottom surface at least 50% of the height of the growth substrate product and wherein the volume of the growth substrate product is not more than 150 cm3.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a particulate material comprising; providing mineral wool base material in a form having size at least 80% not more than 40 mm, subjecting the mineral wool base material to sintering by use of a pulse combustor and thereby forming a particulate material in the form of particles having size at least 80% not more than 20 mm. An apparatus for carrying out the method comprises means for size reduction of coherent mineral wool substrate and a reaction chamber in communication with a pulse combustor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a granular product, the method comprising providing waste stone wool product of which at least 90% is in coherent form having minimum dimension at least 50 mm and which has a content of at least 10% water, by weight of the waste stone wool product; producing a base material from the stone wool by reducing the coherent stone wool to particulate form such that at least 80% by weight of the base material is in the form of particles having size not more than 40 mm, and has water content not more than 50 wt % based on the particulate base material; forming the particulate base material into granules, wherein at least 80% by weight of the granules have size not more than 40 mm, and subjecting the granules to sintering at a temperature in the range 900 to 1050° C. to form a granular product wherein at least 80% by weight of the granular product is in the form of granules having size not more than 40 mm, and during the operation of the method no binder is added.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing plants in a non-fibrous growth substrate, the method comprises providing at least one non-fibrous growth substrate comprising wetting agent, positioning one or more plants for growth in the growth substrate, characterized in that the wetting agent comprises ionic surfactant and the non-fibrous growth substrate is selected from the group consisting of urea formaldehyde foam, perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay, coco chips, coco dust, lava, pumice and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing plants in a mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprises providing at least one mineral wool growth substrate comprising binder and wetting agent, positioning one or more plants for growth in the growth substrate, characterized in that the height of the mineral wool growth substrate is at least 53 mm and the wetting agent comprises ionic surfactant.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing at least three plants simultaneously in mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprises positioning the plants for growth in mineral wool growth substrate so that the roots of each plant are positioned in a growth region, and irrigating the plants with irrigation water over a period of at least three days, wherein during the irrigation period at least one water content parameter as measured in the growth regions surrounding the plant roots varies over the set of all growth regions by not more than 45%, and wherein the growth substrate comprises binder and wetting agent, the wetting agent comprising ionic surfactant.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing plants in a mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprises providing at least one mineral wool growth substrate comprising binder and wetting agent, positioning one or more plants for growth in the growth substrate, characterised in that the wetting agent comprises ionic surfactant and there are plants grown in the growth substrate for a period of at least 3 weeks.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of propagating seeds, seedlings or cuttings in a mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprising: providing at least one mineral wool growth substrate comprising binder and wetting agent, positioning one or more seeds, seedlings or cuttings for growth in the growth substrate, characterised in that the wetting agent comprises ionic surfactant, and in the method the growth substrate is watered at least once per day.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing at least three plants simultaneously in mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprises positioning the plants for growth in mineral wool growth substrate so that the roots of each plant are positioned in a growth region, and irrigating the plants with irrigation water over a period of at least three days, wherein during the irrigation period at least one water content parameter as measured in the growth regions surrounding the plant roots varies over the set of all growth regions by not more than 45%, and wherein the growth substrate comprises binder and wetting agent, the wetting agent comprising ionic surfactant.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing plants in a mineral wool growth substrate, the method comprises providing at least one mineral wool growth substrate comprising binder and wetting agent, positioning one or more plants for growth in the growth substrate, characterised in that the height of the mineral wool growth substrate is at least 53 mm and the wetting agent comprises ionic surfactant.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of growing plants in a non-fibrous growth substrate, the method comprises providing at least one non-fibrous growth substrate comprising wetting agent, positioning one or more plants for growth in the growth substrate, characterised in that the wetting agent comprises ionic surfactant and the non-fibrous growth substrate is selected from the group consisting of urea formaldehyde foam, perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay, coco chips, coco dust, lava, pumice and mixtures thereof.