SEED MAT FOR INSERTION INTO AN APPARATUS FOR GROWING PLANTS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

1 . A seed mat for insertion into an apparatus for growing plants, the seed mat comprising:

a carrier substrate; and

seeds;

wherein the seeds are fixed on the carrier substrate by an adhesive.

2 . The seed mat of claim 1 ,

wherein the carrier substrate is formed from an organic material,

wherein the carrier substrate, has a water absorption capacity in a range of approximately 3500 cm 3 to approximately 5000 cm 3 per square meter.

3 . The seed mat of claim 1 ,

wherein the carrier substrate is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of:

jute;

hemp;

rock wool;

cotton;

cellulose;

viscose;

Jiffy® Vitro-Plug™; and

Oasis® Floral Foam.

4 . The seed mat of claim 1 ,

wherein the seeds comprise at least one of a group consisting of:

seeds of salad;

seeds of herbs;

seeds of fruit;

seeds of vegetables;

seeds of mushrooms; and

seeds of mushroom mycelia.

5 . The seed mat of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one of an RFID labelling or a QR labelling or a barcode.

6 . The seed mat of claim 5 ,

wherein the at least one of RFID labelling or the QR labelling or the barcode encodes the seeds fixed on the seed mat.

7 . The seed mat of claim 5 ,

wherein the RFID labelling is embodied as an RFID chip.

8 . The seed mat of claim 7 ,

wherein the RFID chip comprises at least one of data regarding the seeds fixed on the seed mat or data regarding the seed mat.

9 . An apparatus for growing plants, the apparatus comprising;

an accommodating space for accommodating one or more seed mats, at least one of the one or more seed mats comprising:

a carrier substrate; and

seeds;

wherein the seeds are fixed on the carrier substrate by an adhesive.

10 . A method of manufacturing a seed mat, the method comprising:

applying an adhesive on a carrier substrate;

applying seeds on the carrier substrate provided with the adhesive; and

fixing the seeds by the adhesive on the carrier substrate.

11 . The method of claim 10 ,

wherein the carrier substrate is formed from an organic material.

12 . The method of claim 10 ,

wherein the carrier substrate is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of:

jute;

hemp;

rock wool;

cotton;

cellulose;

viscose;

Jiffy® Vitro-Plug™; and

Oasis® Floral Foam.

13 . The method of claim 10 ,

wherein applying the adhesive on the carrier substrate comprises:

applying the adhesive on the carrier substrate by one or more rollers;

applying the adhesive on the carrier substrate by a spraying system; or

applying the adhesive on the carrier substrate by one or more brushes;

wherein applying seeds on the carrier substrate provided with the adhesive comprises:

applying the seeds on the moist adhesive;

wherein the seeds consist of seed grains; and

wherein the seed grains are scattered or individually placed precisely at a specific position.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

identifying the seed mat by at least one of an RFID labelling or a QR labelling or a barcode.

15 . The method of claim 14 ,

wherein at least one of the RFID labelling or the QR labelling or the barcode encodes the seeds fixed on the seed mat.

16 . The method of claim 14 ,

wherein the RFID labelling is embodied as an RFID chip.

17 . The method of claim 16 ,

wherein the RFID chip comprises at least one of data regarding the seeds fixed on the seed mat or data regarding the seed mat.

18 . A method for growing plants, the method comprising:

manufacturing one or more seed mats, at least one of the one or more seed mats comprising:

a carrier substrate; and

seeds;

wherein the seeds are fixed on the carrier substrate by an adhesive;

inserting said one or more seed mats provided with seeds into an accommodating space of an apparatus for growing plants; and

providing ambient conditions in such a way that the seeds on said one or more seed mats may germinate and plants may grow therefrom, by the apparatus; or

providing first ambient conditions in such a way that the seeds on said one or more seed mats may germinate and plants may grow therefrom;

interrupting the growth process by suitable second ambient conditions;

inserting said one or more seed mats, on which plants grow, into an accommodating space of an apparatus for growing plants; and

providing third ambient conditions in such a way that the plants may continue to grow and bear fruit, if appropriate, by the apparatus.

19 . The method of claim 18 ,

wherein the ambient conditions refer to at least one of a group consisting of:

an air temperature;

an air humidity;

a water supply;

a nutrient supply;

an illumination quality;

an illumination intensity; and

an illumination duration.

20 . The method of claim 18 ,

wherein the apparatus for growing plants identifies the seeds fixed on the seed mat by a program sensor of a program controller.