Patent ID: 6826866
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: C05G

Abstract:
A process for reducing the nutrient leaching characteristics and enhancing the water retention upon re-wetting characteristics of solid plant culture media comprising the steps of:A) preparing a dilute aqueous water-soluble fertilizer composition consisting essentially of: i) a water-soluble fertilizer; ii) a surfactant system consisting essentially of: a) alkyl polyglycoside; and b) a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of an alkylphenol ethoxylate, an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer, an ethoxylated aliphatic alcohol, and mixtures thereof; â€ƒwherein the ratio of the nonionic surfactant to the polyglycoside is from 2:1 to 1:1; and c) water wherein the weight percent of fertilizer and surfactant system is from 0.005 to 10 weight percent based on the total weight percent of the composition; and B) treating the solid plant culture media with a fertilizingly effective amount of said dilute solution.