Patent ID: 7726070

Claim:
A method for treating plants, the method comprising: providing a plant having roots defining a root region; providing a cavity having soil prepared to receive the plant; placing the plant on the soil in the cavity; providing an amendment, acting as a hydration-maintenance composition; the providing the amendment, further comprising providing a substrate formed as granules of a first material; the providing the amendment, further comprising coating each granule with a binder thereon; providing a second material comprising a polymer selected to be hydrophilic; the providing the amendment, further comprising comminuting the polymer to form a powder thereof comprising particles; the providing the amendment, further comprising coating a portion of the binder on each granule with the powder; surrounding the root region with a quantity of the granules; covering the root region and granules with a covering layer; providing water to the plant; hydrating of the hydrophilic polymer by the water; maintaining a portion of the water by the hydrophilic polymer until after the soil becomes too dry to sustain the plant; sustaining the plant by the hydrophilic polymer providing the portion of the water to the root region of the plant.