Growing media composition

Abstract

A growing media composition includes peat and a biosurfactant produced by only mechanical and biological processes without chemical reaction that would result in any structural alteration to the biosurfactant molecule. The biosurfactant can be a glycolipid such as a rhamnolipid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for producing a growing media composition, the method comprising: mixing growing media and a bio surfactant at a concentration ratio of the growing media to a biosurfactant of about 0.01 to about 12 oz/yd3 to yield the growing media composition. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the growing media is dried to a moisture content of about ≤10%. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the biosurfactant is solid and the method further comprises: pulverizing the biosurfactant. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the biosurfactant is at least one biosurfactant selected from the group consisting of: glycolipids, lipopeptides, phospholipids, fatty acids, and polymeric surfactants. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the growing media is at least one selected from the group consisting of: peat, peat-like materials, sand, perlite, and vermiculite. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the biosurfactant is a glycolipid. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the biosurfactant is at least one glycolipid selected from the group consisting of: rhamnolipid, sophorolipid, and mannosylerythritol lipid. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the biosurfactant is rhamnolipid. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the biosurfactant is produced by mechanical and biological processes without any chemical reaction that alters a molecule of the biosurfactant. 
     
     
         10 . A method of enhancing a plant or agricultural substrate, the method comprising: applying to a plant or to an agricultural substrate a mixture of a growing media and a biosurfactant at a concentration ratio of the growing media to the biosurfactant of about 0.01 to about 12 oz/yd 3 . 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the enhancement is at least one enhancement selected from the group consisting of: surface tension reduction, increasing a speed to wet, increasing water retention, and increasing a time to dry. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the growing media is at least one selected from the group consisting of: peat, peat-like materials, sand, perlite, and vermiculite. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the biosurfactant is produced by mechanical and biological processes without any chemical reaction that alters a molecule of the biosurfactant and is at least one glycolipid selected from the group consisting of: rhamnolipid, sophorolipid, and mannosylerythritol lipid.