JPH0473970B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a cultivation soil containing seeds, etc., and more specifically, it is made of a soil-containing foam in which seeds or bulbs are embedded in advance, and is used as agricultural or horticultural soil. This invention relates to cultivation soil containing seeds, etc., which is suitably used as a seed-containing cultivation soil.

<Problems to be solved by conventional technology and the invention> As is well known, soil conditions are very important in plant cultivation, and in particular, soil conditions should be excellent in water retention, air permeability, etc., and resistance to root elongation. It is required to be small in amount, contain appropriate nutrients, and have good plant support and retention properties. In order to meet these conditions, natural soils such as red soil, black soil, Kanuma soil, humus, etc., and sands such as Kiryu sand, pumice, and Fuji sand are usually mixed as appropriate, or
Artificial soils such as vermiculite and pearlite, which are made by firing and expanding mica-based raw ore, are added.

By the way, when cultivating plants, in addition to adjusting the soil mentioned above, it is necessary to do the troublesome work of sowing seeds and planting bulbs, and the thickness of the covering soil after sowing and the depth of planting the bulbs are also important. Therefore, the effort becomes even more complicated. In particular, when sowing seeds, if the thickness of the soil is too thick, the seeds will not be able to breathe sufficiently and germination will be inhibited, whereas if the thickness of the soil is too thin, the seeds will be washed away or blown away by wind and rain. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the thickness of the covering soil to an appropriate thickness, and this adjustment work is troublesome.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned conventional soil is in the form of powder and is relatively heavy, making it inconvenient to handle, and when used for indoor potted cultivation, the soil tends to spill out of the pot when handled, and the floor There was also the problem that it was easy to get things dirty.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a cultivation soil that does not require embedding seeds or the like in a culture medium and is easy to handle.

<Means and effects for solving the problems> The seed-containing cultivation soil of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises foaming a mixture consisting of at least water, a water-soluble urethane prepolymer, soil, and a low-boiling liquid. Plant seeds or bulbs are embedded in the resulting foam.

Among the cultivation soils containing seeds, etc., those in which seeds are embedded are formed into a sheet or block shape, and those in which bulbs are embedded are formed into a block shape. For the former, the seeds are embedded at an appropriate depth, and for the latter, the bulbs are placed at an appropriate depth and direction depending on the type.

According to the cultivation soil containing seeds, etc. having the above structure, the soil is solidified by the foam, so that
Not only does it have water retention and air permeability, it is lightweight and easy to handle, and it can also ensure good plant support and retention. In addition, since the seeds and bulbs are embedded in the foam in advance, there is no need to sow seeds or embed the bulbs at home.Moreover, the foam is resistant to soil erosion caused by wind and rain. There is no risk that the seeds embedded in the soil will be washed away or blown away.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below.

The water-soluble urethane prepolymer is water-soluble and has free isocyanate groups, for example, by reacting a hydrophilic polyether polyol with an excess amount of an isocyanate compound to generate free isocyanate groups. The various prepolymers obtained are used.

As the above hydrophilic polyether polyol,
For example, polyethylene glycol alone, polyhydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, trimethylolpropane, trimethylolethane, pentaerythritol, sorbitol, polyester polyol, bisphenol A, and alkylene Examples include reactants with oxides such as ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.

Examples of the isocyanate compound include compounds having two or more isocyanate groups, such as toluene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and isophorone diisocyanate.

The water-soluble urethane prepolymer may be stabilized by masking the isocyanate groups with a masking agent such as acidic sodium sulfite.

In addition, various types of soil can be used as the above-mentioned soil, but for example, earths such as red soil, black soil, Kanuma soil, Arakida soil, marsh soil, humus, Kiryu sand, Asaaki sand, pumice, Fuji sand, etc. Examples include natural soils such as sand, and artificial soils such as vermiculite, perlite, and perlite. The above soils may be used alone or in a mixture of two or more. Furthermore, the particle size of the above-mentioned soil is usually about 5 mm or less.

In addition, the above-mentioned foam may contain hydraulic substances or fibrous substances in the soil as a main component, and in this case, the shape retention of the foam and the support and retention of plants can be further improved. can be increased. Various types of hydraulic substances can be used as the above-mentioned hydraulic substances.
For example, cement, baked plaster, dolomite plaster, etc. are exemplified. The above-mentioned hydraulic substance can be used in an appropriate amount depending on the desired shape retention and the like. Examples of the fibrous material include natural fibers such as cotton and hemp, synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester, and inorganic fibers such as rock wool, asbestos and glass fiber.

Furthermore, the cultivation soil preferably contains fertilizer. Various types of fertilizers can be used as the above-mentioned fertilizers, such as natural fertilizers such as bone and oil cake; ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium chloride, lime nitrogen, superphosphate lime, dissolved phosphorus fertilizer, calcined phosphorus fertilizer, Chemical fertilizers such as potassium chloride and potassium sulfate, compound fertilizers; calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc,
Examples include fertilizers to which copper, molybdenum, iron, boron, etc. are added. The above fertilizers are usually used in a concentration of 1 to 30% by weight, depending on the purpose, etc.
used. In addition, the above fertilizer may be added and contained during the production of cultivation soil, or it may be impregnated or contained after production.
It may be incorporated into the foam by means such as spraying. The latter case is useful when using a fertilizer that is reactive with a water-soluble urethane prepolymer.

The above-mentioned cultivation soil also contains silicate clay that has anti-rot and purifying effects, a vitalizing agent that promotes plant activity, a dwarfing agent that suppresses overgrowth of plants, an agent that prevents root rot, a coloring agent, and rice husk as an organic substance. etc. may be contained.

In order to improve the characteristics of the cultivation soil such as water retention, air permeability, and shape retention, the foam may be made of soil or a composition containing soil as the main component (for example, if the soil as the main component is It is desirable to contain 70 to 99% by weight, preferably 85 to 99% by weight of hard substances, fibrous substances, fertilizers, etc. If the soil content is less than 70% by weight, there will be a large amount of polyurethane, which is strong and elastic, which will not only increase costs but also increase resistance to plant root extension. Since the amount of soil is small, it is difficult to integrate the soil, resulting in insufficient properties such as shape retention, plant support, and retention.

Further, the above-mentioned cultivation soil obtained by foaming a mixture consisting of at least water, a water-soluble urethane prepolymer, soil, and a low-boiling liquid may have an appropriate bulk density, but the bulk density is 0.02 to 1 g/cm. ³ , particularly preferably 0.1 to 0.5/ ^cm3 . bulk density
If it is less than 0.02 g/cm ³ , plant support and retention will not be sufficient, and if it exceeds 1 g/cm ³ , it will be difficult to achieve not only water retention and breathability but also weight reduction. The above-mentioned foam usually has an expansion ratio of 2 to 100 times, preferably 5 to 50 times.

Furthermore, the block body may contain a water-absorbing polymer, and in this case, it is possible to lengthen the watering interval during plant cultivation, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the labor involved in plant cultivation.

Moreover, the above-mentioned cultivation soil is formed into various shapes and sizes depending on the purpose, such as a sheet shape, a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape, etc., which can be loaded directly into a flowerpot.

Among the above-mentioned cultivation soils, sheet-shaped ones with embedded seeds can be obtained by, for example, dispersing the soil and seeds in water, adding and mixing a water-soluble urethane prepolymer, and foaming the mixed dispersion. can be manufactured. At this time, the low boiling point liquid can be added at an appropriate stage. In addition, in order to obtain a uniform foam, it is preferable to heat the mixed dispersion liquid in the foaming step.

In addition, in order to produce a block-shaped cultivation soil in which seeds are embedded, for example, after dispersing the soil in water, adding and mixing a water-soluble urethane prepolymer and foaming the mixed dispersion, it is possible to form a predetermined amount of soil. A mixed dispersion obtained by forming a thick block-shaped foam, then dispersing soil, seeds, etc. in water on the top of the block-shaped foam, and then adding and mixing a water-soluble urethane prepolymer. It is sufficient to form a thin foam layer by injecting and foaming the soil, thereby making it possible to produce a block-shaped cultivation soil in which the seeds are buried at a shallow position on the upper surface side.

In the above manufacturing method, a mixed solution containing a low boiling point liquid and a water-soluble urethane prepolymer is prepared, while also containing water and being heated to a temperature higher than the boiling point of the low boiling point liquid when mixed with the above mixed solution. By preparing an aqueous dispersion of warmed soil and mixing the above mixture with the aqueous dispersion, foaming can be carried out at a low temperature without the risk of damaging seeds or bulbs. More specifically, in order to improve the foaming workability, a liquid having a boiling point below room temperature is used as the low boiling point liquid, and a liquid in the mixed dispersion obtained by mixing the aqueous dispersion with the mixed liquid is used. Temperatures higher than the boiling point of low-boiling liquids, e.g. 25°C
Set above. When the mixed liquid and the aqueous dispersion are mixed, the temperature of the mixed dispersion becomes higher than the boiling point of the low boiling point liquid, so that the mixed dispersion can be foamed at room temperature.

According to the above method, a mixed solution containing a water-soluble urethane prepolymer and an aqueous dispersion containing water that is reactive with the water-soluble urethane prepolymer are separately prepared. Not only can the stability and workability of the mixed liquid and aqueous dispersion be improved compared to the method of simultaneously mixing both, but also the temperature of the aqueous dispersion can be raised, which improves the dispersibility of the soil in the aqueous dispersion. can be increased. Therefore, the uniformity of the mixed dispersion obtained by mixing the mixed liquid and the water dispersion can be improved, and even if the soil content is large, the uniformity, integrity, water retention, and air permeability of the foam can be improved. bearing,
Retention properties etc. can be improved.

The above-mentioned low boiling point liquid is appropriately selected depending on the desired foaming temperature, and in order to foam at a low temperature and improve workability, for example, butane, pentane, isopentane, cyclopentane, diethyl ether,
Ethyl chloride, isopropyl chloride, dichloromethane, monofluorotrichloromethane (Freon 11),
Monofluorodichloromethane (Freon 21), trichlorotrifluoroethane (Freon 113), dichlorotetrafluoroethane (Freon 114) and the like are preferred. The above-mentioned low boiling point liquids may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In addition, the above-mentioned low boiling point liquid can be used in an appropriate amount depending on the expansion ratio, etc., but in order to form uniform bubbles, it is usually a water-soluble urethane prepolymer.
50 to 300 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight, preferably
100-200 parts by weight are used. Note that a bubble regulator such as silicone may be added to the mixed liquid in order to improve the uniformity of bubbles.

In addition, the water-soluble urethane prepolymer is used in an amount corresponding to the polyurethane content in the cultivation soil, and usually, the water-soluble urethane prepolymer is used in an amount corresponding to the polyurethane content in the cultivation soil.
1 to 40 parts by weight are used, preferably 2 to 20 parts by weight.

In order to improve the dispersibility of the soil, it is preferable to use a nonionic, cationic, or anionic surfactant together with the soil, or to use soil treated with the above surfactant. Further, the above-mentioned surfactants are used alone or in combination of two or more kinds, and are usually used in an amount of 0.01 to 5 parts by weight, preferably 0.1 to 0.5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the soil.

The ratio of soil to water can be set as appropriate within a range that does not impair soil dispersibility, workability, etc., but usually 50 to 500 parts of water to 100 parts by weight of soil.
Parts by weight are used.

Further, the ratio of water-soluble urethane prepolymer to water can be appropriately set depending on workability, etc., but 250 to 5000 parts by weight of water, preferably 500 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of water-soluble urethane prepolymer. ~
4000 parts by weight are used. When the amount of water is less than 250 parts by weight, it is difficult to obtain a homogeneous mixture;
If the amount exceeds 5,000 parts by weight, not only will a large amount of heat be required to remove water from the expanded hydrous foam, but also it will be difficult to obtain a gel-like product due to the reaction between the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and water. The cultivation soil becomes brittle.

Note that it is also possible to prepare a mixed dispersion having the above composition by simultaneously mixing the water, water-soluble urethane prepolymer, soil, low boiling point liquid, etc., but when using such a method, The thickening and foaming caused by the reaction between water and the water-soluble urethane prepolymer and the thickening caused by the addition of soil combine to cause poor workability and make it difficult to increase the soil content to approximately 65% by weight or more. It is difficult to obtain foam with a large soil content. Furthermore, the cells and the like of the obtained foam are non-uniform, making it difficult to simultaneously satisfy water retention and air permeability. In particular, when the soil content is increased, it lacks shape retention and integrity, making handling not only complicated but also insufficient in support and retention of plants.

Then, the mixed dispersion having the composition as described above is poured into a mold such as a predetermined mold and foamed to obtain a hydrous foam. Note that after the mixed dispersion is injected into the mold, the mixed dispersion may be foamed by external heating, and when the mixed dispersion is foamed, a foam having more uniform and fine bubbles is obtained. Therefore, foaming may be performed while pressing.

In addition, when the above-mentioned mixed dispersion liquid contains a hydraulic substance such as charcoal, the hydraulic substance hardens, so that the foam does not shrink in volume after foaming and retains its original shape. A foamed material is obtained, and it is possible to produce cultivation soil that has a low bulk density, is lightweight, and has excellent support and retention properties for plants.

The cultivation soil is obtained by drying and removing the water content of the water-containing foam obtained as described above, and this water removal can be carried out under appropriate conditions, for example, below 30°C. at a temperature of about 1
It may be dried by heating or under reduced pressure for ~10 hours.

The above-mentioned cultivation soil can also be manufactured by embedding seeds and bulbs after the fact. That is, it can also be manufactured by forming a foam containing soil in advance, forming cuts or hollow parts in the foam, and embedding seeds or the like in the cuts or hollow parts.

The cultivation soil obtained as described above has a structure in which the soil is solidified with foam, so it not only has water retention and air permeability, but is also lightweight and easy to handle, and is also suitable for plants. Excellent support and retention. Furthermore, even when used indoors as potting soil, since it is integrated into a sheet or block shape, it will not spill out of the pot during handling and will not stain the floor. Further, depending on the size of the pot and the width and size of the culture medium, an appropriate number of cultivation soils of a predetermined shape can be laid or cut, and the culture medium can be easily produced. Moreover, since the soil is not easily eroded by wind and rain, the seeds will not be washed away. moreover,
Since the seeds and the like are buried in advance, the troublesome work of sowing seeds and adjusting the soil can be eliminated, and the plant can be used as is by placing it in a field or in a flowerpot. Then, cultivation soils with different soil contents, nutrients, fertilizer contents, etc. are used in a form suitable for the growth of the plants to be cultivated, for example, cultivation soil with a high nutrient content is placed in the rooted part of the plant, etc., as desired. It can also be arranged in the form of In addition, since the soil content is large, it can be easily crushed into a state similar to soil after use. Therefore, the cultivation soil of the present invention is suitable as agricultural and horticultural soil.

<Examples> The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples.

Example 1 A sheet-shaped cultivation soil containing seeds and soil collected from a field was prepared. i.e. 60℃ water
To 140 g, 40 g of the above soil passed through a 16-mesh sieve and 10 Suitopea seeds were stirred and mixed to prepare an aqueous dispersion, and water-soluble urethane prepolymer (manufactured by Toho Kagaku Co., Ltd.; trade name: OH grout OH-) was mixed with stirring.
1) Uniformly stir and mix 3 g of silicone (manufactured by Toray Silicone Co., Ltd.; trade name SH193) as a bubble regulator and 3 g of monofluorotrichloromethane (manufactured by Daikin Industries, Ltd.; trade name Freon 11). Prepared.

Then, the above-mentioned mixed liquid was added to the above-mentioned aqueous dispersion while stirring. In addition, the mixed dispersion liquid began to foam by mixing the aqueous dispersion liquid and the mixed liquid.

The above mixed dispersion was placed on a sheet with a diameter of 120 mm lined with release paper.
Pour into a cylindrical mold and let it solidify to a thickness of 9.
Cultivation soil containing mm seeds was prepared.

The bulk density of the obtained cultivation soil was 0.32 g/cm ³ . Moreover, it was excellent in water retention, air permeability, elasticity, shape retention, etc. By spreading this cultivation soil directly on top of the soil in the flowerpot, germination was possible.

Example 2 To 110 g of water at 60°C, 10 g of silica (manufactured by Nippon Silica Kogyo Co., Ltd.; trade name: Nip Seal LP) and 200 g of the soil from Example 1 passed through a 16-mesh sieve were added and mixed with stirring to form an aqueous dispersion. In addition to adjusting the
SH193) 0.07g and monofluorotrichloromethane (manufactured by Daikin Industries, Ltd.; trade name Freon 11)
A mixed solution was prepared by uniformly stirring and mixing 9 g.

Then, the above-mentioned mixed liquid was added to the above-mentioned aqueous dispersion while stirring. In addition, the mixed dispersion liquid began to foam by mixing the aqueous dispersion liquid and the mixed liquid.

Pour the above mixed dispersion to the middle of a pot with a depth of 120 mm and an outer diameter of 100 mm, place a gladiolus bulb at the center of the axis of the container, and then place the bulb so that the top end of the bulb is at a depth of 70 mm. The above mixed dispersion was injected to prepare cultivation soil in which bulbs were embedded.

The bulk density of the obtained cultivation soil was 0.25 g/cm ³ . Moreover, it was excellent in water retention, air permeability, elasticity, shape retention, etc.

Example 3 A rectangular sheet of cultivation soil containing seeds and soil collected from a field was prepared. That is, 8 kg of the above soil passed through a 16-mesh sieve was added to 2.8 kg of water at 60°C.
Kg, and 200 Suitopea seeds are stirred and mixed.
In addition to adjusting the water dispersion, water-soluble urethane prepolymer (manufactured by Toho Chemical Co., Ltd.; trade name: OH grout)
OH-1) 60g, silicone as a bubble regulator (manufactured by Toray Silicone Co., Ltd.; trade name SH193) 0.6g
and 60 g of monofluorotrichloromethane (manufactured by Daikin Industries, Ltd.; trade name Freon 11) were uniformly stirred and mixed to prepare a mixed solution.

Then, the above-mentioned mixed liquid was added to the above-mentioned aqueous dispersion while stirring. In addition, the mixed dispersion liquid began to foam by mixing the aqueous dispersion liquid and the mixed liquid.

The above mixed dispersion was poured into a rectangular mold with a side length of 480 mm lined with release paper and solidified.
Cultivation soil containing seeds with a thickness of 9 mm was prepared. The thus obtained cultivation soil containing seeds could be cut into appropriate sizes for use.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, the seed-containing cultivation soil of the present invention simultaneously satisfies properties such as water retention and air permeability, and is lightweight and has excellent integrity, plant support, and retention. It is easy to transport and handle, and since the seeds and bulbs are embedded in the foam, the work of sowing seeds in a medium, embedding the bulbs, and adjusting the thickness of the covering soil can be omitted. This has the unique effect of reducing the effort involved in cultivating plants.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A foam obtained by foaming a mixture consisting of at least water, a water-soluble urethane prepolymer, soil, and a low-boiling liquid, in which plant seeds or bulbs are embedded. Cultivation soil containing seeds, etc. 2. The seed-containing cultivation soil according to claim 1, wherein the foam contains 70 to 99% by weight of soil or a composition mainly composed of soil. 3. The seed-containing cultivation soil according to claim 1, wherein the foam has a bulk density of 0.02 to 1 g/cm ³ . 4. The seed-containing cultivation soil according to claim 1, wherein the foam contains fertilizer. 5. The seed-containing cultivation soil according to claim 1, wherein the foam contains a water-absorbing polymer.