Method of accelerating the growth and development of trees and shrubs via enhanced root development
View Patent ↗A method of developing seedlings includes germinating the seeds and air pruning the seedlings to a depth of about 3 inches.
1. A growing medium for facilitating the development of tree seedlings,
the growing medium comprising 35% to 40% composted rice hulls, 35% to 40% pine bark, and sand;
the components of the growing medium combined to provide 35% air space in the growing medium; and
the growing medium comprising a soil-less seeding medium for placement over a bottomless mesh seed flat for permitting shallow air pruning of roots.
2. The growing medium according to claim 1 further comprising slow release fertilizers, micronutrients and a wetting agent.
3. The growing medium according to claim 2 further comprising an inoculation of mycorrhizae spores.
4. The growing medium of claim 3 , wherein quantities of the rice hulls, pine bark, sand, air space, and mycorrhizae spores are configured to accelerate a growth rate of a tree seedling subjected to air pruning while growing in the medium.
5. The growing medium of claim 4 , wherein the inoculation of mycorrhizae spores is configured to accelerate root surface uptake capability in seedling roots subjected to air pruning.
6. The growing medium of claim 4 , wherein the quantity of mycorrhizae spores is configured to optimize a balance of soil organisms in a non-soil growing medium.
7. The growing medium of claim 4 , used in a container for facilitating air root pruning of tree seedlings, the medium configured to provide levels of air, nutrients, and soil organisms in balance with assimilation and utilization capabilities of a root system being shaped by air pruning in the container.
8. The growing medium of claim 1 , the medium comprising 35% to 40% composted rice hulls, 35% to 40% pine bark, and 20% sand.
9. The growing medium of claim 1 , the medium comprising 35% composted rice hulls, 35% pine bark, 20% sand, and 10% manure.
10. The growing medium of claim 9 , the medium components combined to provide a 35% air space.
11. The growing medium of claim 1 , the medium comprising a systemic insecticide.
12. The growing medium of claim 1 , the medium being placed in bottomless containers to promote air root pruning.