WO2025056215A1

WO2025056215A1 - Method for repotting plants

Info

Publication number: WO2025056215A1
Application number: PCT/EP2024/069724
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joost Petrus Jacobus Bakker; Cornelis Johannes Van Kester
Original assignee: C.J. Van Kester Holding B.V.
Priority date: 2023-09-14
Filing date: 2024-07-11
Publication date: 2025-03-20

Abstract

In the present invention a new method for the repotting of plants is described in which the new pot is first lined with a piece of a coco fiber mat, characterized in that the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component wherein said water-repellent or waterproof component is a binding agent, such as a glue or a latex. Alternatively, the use of a piece of a coco fiber mat, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, for repotting a plant as described above or for the first potting of a plantlet, preferably wherein said piece of a coco fiber mat is rectangular, trapezoid or arcuate, and/or wherein said piece is provided with one or more incisions or ridges, is part of the present invention.

Description

NEW METHOD FOR (RE-)POTTING PLANTS

INTRODUCTION

In the growth of pot plants, these often have to be repotted to allow the plants to grow bigger and the roots to develop further. This is an activity, which has to be done with care in order not to damage the roots that have developed in the pot (and often have outgrown the pot). It is therefore needed to leave the plant with its root system as much as possible undisturbed, i.e. to leave the plant in the substrate on which it was grown. This is even more important when plants have to be 'repotted' from a tissue culture surrounding into a growing substrate. At this moment the root system of the plant is very vulnerable.

When the substrate in which the plants are grown is soil, it is advised to massage the root ball to loosen the roots from their coils and to remove the old potting substrate. Then new soil has to be introduced in the new pot, the plant root system is placed on top of that and further soil is added along the sides of the plant to fill the empty spaces in the pot. Finally, the soil should be gently patted down to firm the plant into place and to settle the soil.

However, plants that are not grown in soil but on another substrate, such as sphagnum (moss), perlite, charcoal, lava rock, fir or redwood bark or coco chips, or coco, osmunda or hemp fibers need another method of repotting. In some cases it is advised to pull the pot away from the plant and wash off the roots. A new pot is then filled with soaked potting medium and the plant is placed on top of that. Finally bits of planting medium then are pushed in between the roots (see Repotting Orchid Plants - How And When To Repot Orchids (gardeningknowhow.com). Such a method may work fine when only one plant needs to be repotted, but in orchid nurseries, such a method would take too much time and thus would not be commercially feasible. This is especially true for transferring plantlets from tissue culture to a growing substrate, where thousands of plantlets needs to be handled.

A system that makes use of plugs in which the plants are grown without a pot has been developed by the company Van der Knaap. However, in that case the plant with the plug is repotted in a bigger plug which has been provided with a hole. In this system the plugs are not placed in a pot but in a prefabricated larger plug. The plugs used in this embodiment have been made from coco fibers that have been provided with a binding agent.

Accordingly, a method that would provide for a faster repotting, but which still would comprise a gentle handling of the plant and its roots, is still needed. Such a problem may be solved by providing a mat from coco fibers. Use of a coco fiber mat has been disclosed in TW 201803438. However, in this document only the wrapping of a coco mat around the roots of an (orchid) plant is shown and not the lining of a flower pot. Additionally, the coco mat in that document has undergone a soaking step in a diluted hypochlorite aqueous solution, which has proved not to be required in the present invention. Accordingly, the method of the present invention does not comprise a step of soaking the coco mat in a hypochlorite aqueous solution. The present invention thus provides a better solution for this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for repotting of plants, comprising the steps of: a. providing a plant in a first plant pot; b. providing a second plant pot that is equal in size to or larger than the first plant pot; c. lining the second plant pot with a piece of a mat of coco fiber, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, wherein said water-repellent or waterproof component is a binding agent, such as a glue or a latex; d. removing the first plant pot from the plant; and e. putting the plant in the second pot.

As indicated above, said method does not comprise a step of soaking the coco mat in a hypochlorite aqueous solution.

In the above described method the word 'pot' also would include a cell in a tray. Further, instead of lining such a pot or cell it would also be possible to wrap the piece of mat of coco fiber around the roots of the plant when this plant is removed from the first pot or cell and the to place the plant wrapped in the coco fiber mat into the second pot or cell.

Preferably in said method the coco fiber is mixed with a fiber chosen from the group of flax fiber, bamboo fiber, banana fiber, sugarcane bagasse fiber, jute fiber, ramie fiber, sisal fiber or hemp fiber, preferably wherein the coco fiber is mixed with jute fiber, more preferably wherein the jute fiber is present in an amount of 20-40% of the total amount of fibers, more preferably 25-35%, most preferably around 30%.

In a further embodiment the coco fiber or the fiber mix with the coco fiber is presented as a mat or a piece cut from a mat, such as a pad. It is also preferred in the current invention that the plant that is repotted as described above is an epiphyte, preferably an orchid, more preferably a Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Vanda, Vanilla or Dendrobium plant or the plant is an Anthurium plant.

Further preferred in the method of the invention is the embodiment in which the fiber mat has a thickness of less than 5 cm, preferably less than 4 cm, more preferably less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2.5 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm, more preferably less than 1.5 cm, even more preferably 0.4 - 1 cm. In another embodiment the fiber mat has a mat density of less than 1500 g, preferably less than 1000 g, more preferably from 500 - 800 g per m² at a thickness of about 1 cm. Further preferred in the present invention is the embodiment in which the plant in the first pot has a substrate comprising solely fibers. Equally preferred is an embodiment in which the first pot or tray pot has a diameter of about 3 cm.

For application in the present invention the coco fiber mat is preferably needle punched. Further, it is preferred that the coco fiber mat is produced by using fibers that are first twined into a rope and then untwined.

Another part of the invention is a piece of a coco fiber mat, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, wherein said piece is cut in a trapezoid form, preferably wherein the shortest parallel side of the trapezoid form has a length that is equal to the smallest inner circumference of the plant pot or cell for which it is intended, preferably wherein said piece is provided with an incision or a ridge, preferably wherein the incision or ridge is provided in the middle of the short parallel side of the trapezoid.

Also another part of the present invention is a piece of a coco fiber mat, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, wherein said piece is provided with an incision or a ridge, preferably wherein said incision or ridge is provided in the middle of the piece which enables doubling the piece, wherein said piece of a coco fiber mat is suitable as substrate for culturing plants.

A further part of the present invention is a piece of a coco fiber mat, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, wherein said piece is provided with two or more incisions or ridges, wherein said incisions or ridges enable folding of the piece at that point, wherein said piece of a coco fiber mat is suitable as substrate for culturing plants.

Further, the use of a piece of a coco fiber mat, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water- repellent or waterproof component, for repotting a plant as described above or for the first potting of a plantlet, preferably wherein said piece of a coco fiber mat is rectangular, trapezoid or arcuate, and/or wherein said piece is provided with one or more incisions or ridges, is part of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1A shows a coco mat strip in which h represents the desired height of the pot in which the coco mat needs to be inserted. In Figure IB it is indicated how this mat strip may be cut into parts of the desired width. Figure 1 C shows an alternative cutting form in which dl and d2 represent the width of the bottom and the top of the plant pot for which the coco is intended.

Figure 2 A shows a segment (pad) of the coco mat to be used for (re)potting and preferably for potting plantlets from tissue culture. In Figure 2B it is indicated that an incision in the mat piece is possible for facilitating folding the mat. Figure 2C shows an alternative in which a segment of the pad is cut away, which facilitates folding ad which forms a better fit for a tapered plant pot.

Figure 3 shows alternative pad forms: 3A trapezoid and 3 B arcuate. In both alternatives possible fold lines are indicated.

Figure 4 shows a pad ready for use. Notice the trapezoid form and the incisions on both sides which allows easy application. The size of the depicted pad is not specified and may vary for successive repotting procedures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Plants, such as orchids are often cultured and grown in pots, although most of them are epiphytic plants in their natural habitat. For a proper culturing of orchids, these are normally placed in and on a substrate that would mimic the natural environment. The most popular orchids, of the genus Phalaenopsis, have a relatively small-sized and easily damaged root system. In order to keep the plant upright in a pot, the roots need to have a substrate which can provide a firm support for the plant, i.e. a substrate where the Phalaenopsis roots can cling to. It also needs to have a grade of texture of the potting medium that would allow for sufficient air, since the epiphytic orchids need to have their roots in contact with both air and water (moist). The substrate should thus not be too compact, also not because light to allow photosynthesis is needed. Lastly, the substrate needs to provide both humidity and sufficient drainage. This could be performed by a material that is able to hold water and slowly release it to the atmosphere. Substrates that are often used as potting material for orchids are sphagnum (also known as peat moss or peat), perlite, coco coir, charcoal, lava rock, fir or redwood bark or coco chips, or coco, osmunda or hemp fibers or mixtures of any of these.

In orchid nurseries, normally the young plantlets are derived from tissue culture and they come with a very frail root portion. Although they are not yet potted, the first potting can also be indicated as 'repotting' according to the present invention. They normally are cultured in moss (Sphagnum) in little pots or multipot trays with a pot or cell diameter of 3-8 cm (the smallest pot being 1.7 Taiwanese inch, which is about 5 cm) and then grown until they need to be repotted. When they are repotted, they are generally potted in a pot or cell that is 2 - 4 cm wider than the previous pot or cell.

The invention now teaches that the repotting of plants, more particularly epiphytic plants, especially orchids and in particular orchids of the genera Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Vanda, Vanilla and Dendrobium can be performed by providing the larger pot with an inside cover of fibers, preferably coco fibers. These fibers advantageously are available in mats. Such mats can be commercially obtained, e.g. from Amazon, and they are normally used as window box or moss pole for gardening, for preparing bedding for reptile animals in terrarium, for making anti-slip ice carpet outdoors during winter, etc. With respect to plants, they are known to produce hanging baskets, where the mat not only functions as substrate but mainly is used as a pot/basket itself. For most of these functions, especially the hanging basket, the coco mats are provided with a binding agent that makes the mats more water resistant, e.g. a binding agent such as a glue or latex. However, for the present invention mats of untreated coco fibers are used, because they have a better water absorption functionality and, when repotted, the still maintained old medium does not prevent further growth of the roots. It is preferred to needle punch the mats that are produced to increase the cohesion between the fibers. The needle punching makes the mats stronger and more coherent. After such a treatment, the mats are more easily handled without losing their structure.

As has been mentioned in the introduction such a mat has been described in TW 201803438. There the mat is soaked in a diluted solution of calcium hypochlorite. This soaking step is performed to provide a greater volume of the coco mat but it goes accompanied by a decreased electrical conductance, decreased amounts of Na, K and P and an increased amount of Ca of the substrate. It was now found that omitting this soaking step does not lead to a deterioration of the substrate, but that the lesser volume is advantageous because the plant can be placed in the pot more easily and because, after providing water to the substrate when in the pot, the substrate will expand which will increase the firmness of the fit in the (new) larger plant pot. Further, it was found in the present invention that the increase in flexibility which was one of the beneficial effects of the soaking step in TW 201803438 can equally, or even more advantageous, be achieved by providing an incision or a fold in the coco mat material.

Preferably, mats are used of (machine-)twisted coco fibers that subsequently have been untwisted. By the process of twisting and untwisting, the fibers will become wrinklier and this enables a better cohesion between the fibers since they will be more entangled. For an optimal result, the fibers should be kept in twisted form for more than 2 months before they are untwisted.

In another preferred embodiment, the mats are reinforced by introducing a strong fiber string in the longitudinal direction of the mat during the production of the mat. Such a strong fiber string may be a coco string or a couple of twined coco fibers. However, also fibers from another natural source may be used, such as hemp fibers, flax fibers, banana fibers, etc.

The mats may be compressed to decrease the volume. In this way they can be transported without taking too much loading space. The volume is easily regained by a mat, since without pressure it automatically returns to (almost) the original size. Not only the mats itself, but also pieces that are cut of the mat (such as strips or pads) may be compressed to enable better packaging.

The mats can be cut in any shape or form, but preferably they are cut in strips with a height which is the same height as the pot and with a length that is equal to the inner circumference of the pot in which they will be used. In such a way the cutting can be lined inside of the pot. The thickness of the mat may vary, but when repotting a plant from an old pot into a new pot preferably the thickness of the mat is half of the difference in diameter between the two pots. Because generally for repotting a pot is used which is 2-10 cm wider than the currently used pot, the thickness of the mat may be less than 5 cm, preferably less than 4 cm, more preferably less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2.5 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm, more preferably less than 1.5 cm, even more preferably 0.4 - 1 cm.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plantlet is potted by wrapping it into a piece of coco mat material as used in the present invention. The wrapping may be accomplished by taking one or more pieces of a coco fiber mat with a breadth that would fit into the diameter of the pot in which the plantlet will be potted, and pressing these together with the root of the plants in between. This construction is then put into the pot and optionally the pot is further filled with coco fibers, cut from either the mat, loose fiber material or finer substrate such as soil, coir or peat moss. Alternatively, a rectangular piece of coco mat can be taken (see figure 2A), which is then wrapped around the roots of the plantlet, just like closing a book with the plantlet between the pages. Since the plant pots normally are tapered, it is preferred to cut the mats in a trapezoid form as indicated in Figure 1C. The inclination of the sides of the trapezoid may be adjusted to the degree of tapering of the plant pot in which the repotting takes place.

Advantageously, the piece of coco mat is provided with one or more incisions at positions where the mat needs to be folded. If the size of the piece of the mat (also called pad) is limited, the incision may be at about the middle line (see figure 2B) to enable a more standard and reproducible folding of the coco mat piece. If the size of the mat is relatively large, further incisions may be positioned at places where the pad needs to be folded. Instead of incisions, the pads may also be provided with pre-pressed fold lines (creases or ridges) similar to fold lines in paperboard. Also these ridges may be introduced into the coco mat (pieces) while producing the mat and/or while cutting off the pads.

In order to adjust the size of the (rectangular) piece to a tapered plant pot, a triangular part may be cut out of the pad, as indicated in Fig. 2C. This may also be done similarly with pads that have been provide in a trapezoid form or in arcuate form (Fig. 3). Indicated in these figures are possible fold lines. .

A potting as described above provides for a speedy process while still sufficient care is taken for the fragile root system of the plantlets and while still sufficient potting material is present for a normal, healthily development of the plant. Such a potting may be performed as a first potting of young plants that come from the plant nursery, but it may also be performed for plants that have already been grown in a (different) substrate. In that case, the previous substrate may be removed by gentle shaking or washing, or, alternatively, the previous substrate may remain and the coco pads are wrapped around this previous substrate.

Use of the coco mat pieces as shown in Figure IB, 1C or Figure 2 or 3 may allow an automated or semiautomated system to perform the first potting. In such a system, a coco mat strip is fed to a machine which machine cuts the coco mat piece as indicated in Fig. IB or 1C and which subsequently may perform an incision in the mat piece as indicated in Fig. 2B or 2C or one or more ridges may be pressed as indicated in Fig. 3A or 3B. In another feed the machine is fed with the plantlets to be (re-)potted. For each plantlet, the machine then folds a coco mat piece around the roots and puts the assembled product in a pot, which is provided by another feed of the machine. In such a way, a fully automated potting machine may be provided. Alternatively, one or more of the tasks may be done by humans, which would make the machine semi-automatic. Preferably, after (re-)potting the plants are watered, which causes expansion of the coco mat pieces and would result in a firm fit of the plant and substrate into the plant pot. Although cut pieces of coco mats are disclosed in TW 201507599 in said documents, the coco mats are provided with broken cotton which is inserted into and penetrated through the coconut fiber (carpet) layer with a needle, so that part of the broken cotton is exposed. Broken cotton is not used in the present invention.

For plants that are already grown and need to be repotted in a larger pot such a larger pot may be provided with an inner lining of the coco mat strip (having a height that is less than the height of the pot). Alternatively, a strip may be wrapped around the old substrate (similar to the automatic potting as described above).

The coco mats are commercially available in various thicknesses and also in various densities. They are relatively cheap, also in comparison to other, much used substrate materials such as (coco) bark chips or peat moss. The coco fiber mats are also preferred over peat moss or sphagnum because the density is less, which means that there is sufficient air in between the fibers to allow contact of the roots with air. Sphagnum holds a relatively large amount of water and thus is not suitable for situations with a low evaporation.

It is commonly known that the average length of the coconut fibers influences the density and the porosity of coco fiber mats (see Bui, H. et al., Fibers, 2020: 8, 37; doi:10.3390/fib8060037). In this article, it was found that untreated coconut fibers have a weight of about 1.4 gram per cm³ while their water absorption is about 133%. This water absorption is based on the difference in the mass of dry fibers and fibers undergoing immersion according to the formula: impregnated m s- dn mass water absorption - - _; ^: - X 1 (!()"»

¹ dry mass using a protocol as recommended (Amziane, S.; Collet, F.; Lawrence, M.; Magniont, C.; Picandet, V.; Sonebi, M. Recommendation of the RILEM TC 236-BBM: Characterisation testing of hemp shiv to determine the initial water content, water absorption, dry density, particle size distribution and thermal conductivity. Mater. Struct. Constr. 2017, 1-11). This water absorption is similar to the water absorption of flax fibers (Page, J.; Khadraoui, F.; Boutouil, M.; Gomina, M. Multi-physical properties of a structural concrete incorporating short flax fibers. Constr. Build. Mater. 2017, 344-353.) These figures coincide with the range of figures that has been summarised in literature as provided by Chauhan, N and Arya, N, Int. Journal of Chem. Studies 2018; 6(6): 555-561), where for water absorption with coco fibers an average of 80-150% was found. In this paper the fiber density was on average about 1000-1100 kg/m³ (about 1-1,1 g/cm³). However, due to the circumstances and the measuring methods these values show a large variation. In the context of the present invention coco mat fibers are defined as consisting of brown fibers found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut, which have a length of (on average) more than 2 cm and which have a density of less than 3000 kg/m³. Brown fibers are obtained by so-called wet processing of the coconuts. Traditionally this mean a long period, usually a couple a months, of soaking the mature coconuts in water. Thereafter, the fibers are removed from the shell by combing and crushing. The fibers are produced as mats with a thickness of the mat varying between 0.2 and 10 cm. For the present invention, the coco fibers may be mixed with hemp fibers, flax fibers, banana fibers, bamboo fibers, sugarcane bagasse fibers, jute fibers, ramie fibers, rice fibers or sisal fibers having a similar specification. It is also possible to insert wood fibers, i.e. fibers obtainable from trees, especially from coniferous trees, like pine, spruce, juniper or cedar. Preferably, a mixture may be obtained with a fiber that is able to retain water. In such a mixture, the amount of coco fiber will be at least 50%, but preferably between 50 and 75%. It has been found that addition of jute fibers is especially advantageous, since jute is a fiber that is easily introduced and can be evenly distributed in the coco fibers from which the mats are made. Th added jute fibers are less than 50% of the total amount of fibers, preferably 20-40% of the total amount, more preferably 25-35% of the total amount and most preferably around 30% of the total amount of fibers. The mats have a mat density that will be less than 1500 grams per m2 for mats with a thickness of about 1 cm, i.e. less than 70 kg/m3. Preferably, the mat density is less than 1000 grams, more preferably from 500-800 grams per m² at a thickness of about 1 cm. This also means that the fibers only occupy less than 90%, preferably less than 80% and more preferably less than 70% of the mat and that much air is available in between the fibers.

Coir is often used in the common literature as a synonym for coco fibers. However, for the present invention coir is defined as coco fibers that have been cut or grinded and which, as a result of this, have an average length of less than 0.5 cm. These coir fibers are often used for coir-felt mats, which may or may not be needle punched, but these are unsuitable for the present invention.

The coco fiber mats have a lot of advantages for the growing of plants. First of all coconut fibers have a near-neutral pH level of 5.5 to 6.8, (unlike e.g. peat moss, which is highly acidic). Being porous in nature, coco mats allow air, nutrients and water to pass through, thereby not hindering the breathing of plant roots. They provide resistance to pests, bacteria, fungus, and mold and are incredibly easy to work with, especially compared to other common potting material. Further, the mats are elastic in the sense that they can be compressed, e.g. for putting the mate into a pot, after which they return to their original size. This phenomenon is not observed for coir or peat moss. In addition, coco fiber mats are highly sustainable and renewable and since it is a byproduct of an agricultural process, the production of it does not overuse natural resources. Lastly, coco fibers are a source of potassium, which is an element that promotes stem length and flower count and size in orchids.

Therefore, a further advantage of the present invention can be obtained when the plants that need to be repotted have been grown in a different substrate, such as peat moss. At the present moment still many of the orchid nurseries produce plantlets grown in sphagnum (peat). The disadvantage of this growing substrate is that it can be fully saturated with water, which can cause rot of the roots. Repotting with the coco fiber mat pieces of the present invention will cause a dehydration of the peat moss and thus aids in a better microclimate for the plantlets. A similar effect will occur when the plantlets have been grown in coco coir or perlite.

Next to these advantages, an additional beneficial effect with respect to infestation by fungus gnats is obtained. In the cultivation of Phalaenopsis orchids, the most important orchid genus from a commercial perspective, considerable damage is caused by so-called 'potworms', which in reality are the larvae of the Keroplatidae family (fungus gnats), especially from the genus Lyprauta. These larvae live in the substrate, and primarily predate on soil-dwelling organisms. However, they also cause feeding damage to the root tips, leading to a reduction in overall plant growth. Even at low Keroplatidae density - mostly only a single larva per pot is present - the damage threshold is often exceeded in Phalaenopsis because of its relatively low number of roots. The plague is more prominent when the substrate in which the plants are grown provides support for the insects to lay their eggs such as bark. Also smaller life forms that live on bark can be used as feed for the larvae. It has been proven that the use of coco fibers as substrate greatly decreases the infection.

Although in the present description epiphytes are taken as the plants that profit most of the present invention, the invention can also be used for other pot plants. One particular plant that may benefit of the present invention is Anthurium.

In this respect, the coco mats of the present invention may also be used as a general substrate for growing pot plants that are currently grown on peat. Use of peat as a substrate for pot plants is rapidly decreasing and alternatives need to be found. The coco mats of the present invention form a perfect substitute, which can be adapted to any desired culture system. This can be most easily done by varying the density of the coco fiber mate, where the density can vary to very loose to very dense. In addition, the mats can be used in any culturing system, varying from pot culturing to semi-hydro culturing.

The coco mat pieces may be provided in any form, such as a cube or a cylinder. Such a more three- dimensional form may be provided with a hole which simply enables insertion of a plant(let). It is also envisaged to prepare such a form with a plant seed inside of the cube/cylinder

As an example, a semi-hydro system can consist of a container in which an amount of water is present at the bottom. On this layer of water, a next layer of coco fiber according to the present invention is deposited in which layer the plants are put. Such a culturing system saves the need for continuous or frequently watering the plants while the coco fibers regulate the moist content of the substrate depending on the density of the mat and the size of the layer. It thus can be adapted to the needs of the plants that are cultured in such a system. The beneficial microclimate that is provided by the coco fibers takes care of a continuous supply of water to the plants without the substrate becoming too wet and without creating a climate that would be suitable for the development and growth of fungi causing root rot. If needed, the coco fibers may be mixed with soil or another substrate to increase the density of the system and to enable a good rooting of the plantlets.

An alternative for this system may be formed by a plant pot in which the middle part of the bottom plate is elevated. In this middle part, a hole for drainage of the system may be provided to prevent a surplus of water. Such a system allows having a layer of water at the bottom of the pot, which water will be absorbed by the coco fibers on top of it. Because of the drainage hole, any superfluous water, which may cause rot of the roots, will be removed. This allows culturing of plants in the known culture systems while it facilitates the water management of the culture system. Another advantage of this system is that, after filling the pot with water, a coco fiber arrangement with plant as described above may be positioned on top of the central elevated part of the bottom plate of the plant pot. Such a system also allows for the repotting method as described herein. When the plants get older, the roots will grow into the water reservoir and the system will be clogged. A solution for this is to provide a larger outer pot which can function as the reservoir, for connection with the substrate in the first pot a wick may be placed in the larger pot to guide the water from the outer pot to the inner pot. Such a system may extend the shelf life of the plants, which is important in a commercial setting.

Since coco fiber contains little nutrients, it is needed to provide fertilizer or other nutrients to the plants. This may for instance be achieved by providing a slow release fertilizer tablet or stick.

Additionally or alternatively, further fibers may be added to the coco mats, especially from plants that have a known effects against various plant pests, such as insects, fungal pathogens or bacterial pathogens. Especially useful in this respect are yew fibers and fibers from the neem tree, the tea tree, catnip, Chrysantemum, Citronella, Eucalyptus, fennel, garlic, lavender, lemongrass, mint, sunflower, rosemary, thyme and yarrow plants. Alternatively, compounds that are advantageously used in culturing pot plants, such as nutrients and fertilizers (both chemical and natural fertilizer compounds), plant hormones, antibacterial or antifungal compounds may be used to impregnate the fibers of the mat. This can preferably be achieved by solving the compound(s) of interest in water, oil or in a w/o or o/w suspension and to impregnate the fibers of the coco mat with this material. Such impregnated fibers allow for a slow release of the compound of interest. Additionally, surfactants, wetting agents and the like may be added to increase the adherence of the impregnated material to the fibers.

Claims

1. Method for repotting of plants, comprising the steps of: a. providing a plant in a first plant pot; b. providing a second plant pot that is equal in size to or larger than the first plant pot; c. lining the second plant pot with a piece of a mat of coco fiber, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, wherein said water-repellent or waterproof component is a binding agent, such as a glue or a latex; d. removing the first plant pot from the plant; and e. putting the plant in the second pot.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein the coco fiber is mixed with a fiber chosen from the group of flax fiber, bamboo fiber, banana fiber, sugarcane bagasse fiber, jute fiber, ramie fiber, sisal fiber or hemp fiber.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the coco fiber is mixed with jute fiber, more preferably wherein the jute fiber is present in an amount of 20-40% of the total amount of fibers, more preferably 25-35%, most preferably around 30%.

4. Method according to any of claims 1 - 3, wherein the coco fiber or the fiber mix with the coco fiber is presented as a mat or a piece cut from a mat, such as a pad.

5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plant is an epiphyte, preferably an orchid, more preferably a Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Vanda, Vanilla or Dendrobium plant or wherein the plant is an Anthurium plant.

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fiber mat has a thickness of less than 5 cm, preferably less than 4 cm, more preferably less than 3 cm, more preferably less than 2.5 cm, more preferably less than 2 cm, more preferably less than 1.5 cm, even more preferably

0.4 - 1 cm.

7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fiber mat has a mat density of less than 1500 g, preferably less than 1000 g, more preferably from 500 - 800 g per m² at a thickness of about 1 cm.

8. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the plant in the first pot has a substrate comprising solely fibers.

9. Method according to any of the preceding claims wherein the first pot or tray pot has a diameter of about 3 cm.

10. Method according to any of the preceding claims in which the coco fiber mat is needle punched.

11. Method according to any of the preceding claims in which the coco fiber mat is produced by using fibers that are first twined into a rope and then untwined.

12. Piece of a coco fiber mat, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, wherein said piece is cut in a trapezoid form, preferably wherein the shortest parallel side of the trapezoid form has a length that is equal to the smallest inner circumference of the plant pot for which it is intended, preferably wherein said piece is provided with an incision or a ridge, preferably wherein the incision or ridge is provided in the middle of the short parallell side of the trapezoid. .

13. Piece of a coco fiber mat, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, wherein said piece is provided with an incision or a ridge, preferably wherein said incision or ridge is provided in the middle of the piece which enables doubling the piece, wherein said piece of a coco fiber mat is suitable as substrate for culturing plants.

14. Piece of a coco fiber mat, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, wherein said piece is provided with two or more incisions or ridges, wherein said incisions or ridges enable folding of the piece at that point, wherein said piece of a coco fiber mat is suitable as substrate for culturing plants.

15. Piece of a coco fiber mat according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the coco fiber is mixed with a fiber chosen from the group of flax fiber, bamboo fiber, banana fiber, sugarcane bagasse fiber, jute fiber, ramie fiber, sisal fiber or hemp fiber, preferably wherein the coco fiber is mixed with jute fiber, more preferably wherein the jute fiber is present in an amount of 20-40% of the total amount of fibers, more preferably 25-35%, most preferably around 30%.

16. Use of a piece of a coco fiber mat according to any of claims 13 - 15, wherein the mat of coco fiber does not comprise a water-repellent or waterproof component, for repotting a plant according to any of claims 1-11 or for the first potting of a plantlet, preferably wherein said piece of a coco fiber mat is rectangular, trapezoid or arcuate, and/or wherein said piece is provided with one or more incisions or ridges.