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----------------------------------------------------------{ April 08, 2008 }Spring Wash
Spring is a time of year when everything seems to come back to life, including the mulch business. Unfortunately also accompanying spring is seasonably wet weather. One of the major challenges when it comes to producing, supplying and inventorying color enhanced mulch products. Provided below is a brief overview of how the coloring process works, ways to limit product “washing” and options on replenishing “washed” product.
The Coloring Process
To understand how we may experience product “washing” on occasion it is necessary to have a general understanding of how the color enhancing process works. The colorant is dispersed in a water base solution. Water is the carrier that enables us to coat 100% of the fiber surface. The water also creates a temporary buffer between the colorant and wood fiber. The colorant does not adhere or bond to the wood fiber until the water buffer evaporates. Superior chemistry in a colorant formulation will make the colorant more wood living than water loving. Once the bond is created between the colorant and wood fiber, it cannot be broken by additional water such as rain or a sprinkler system. The critical point is the bond needs the chance to form between the colorant particle and the wood fiber.
Limiting Exposure to Product “Washing”
The production and inventory challenge then becomes how to provide product with the critical drying time needed. The reality is there is no cost-effective way to provide the drying time required 100% of the time. Any product inside a pile of minimal size will not receive this critical drying time. It does not matter if it sits in the pile three days or three months. The interior of the pile will not be dry. In mass production or bulk inventory, there is no way to get around this challenge.
The second issue effecting our critical drying time is the demand for product in the market. Today’s market continues to request for more product, increased colorant application rates and a finer texture. The demand for more product has forced more producers to utilize green wood fiber. While green wood fiber makes an attractive product from a texture standpoint, it brings more moisture into the equation. While green wood fibers are very acceptable for colored mulch production, the drying time has again increased. The market is also demanding finer textured products. While finer textured products may be more desirable aesthetically, they will retain considerably more moisture. This again will increase the drying time required.
Market forces and demands are working completely against a producers’ ability to provide a product that will not wash. The focus then becomes how do I educate my end customer to make sure we minimize the occurrence of product “washing”. The reality is the only product that is lost is material applied to the landscape. If we proactively provide the concerns to our end customers, they can in turn apply the material at their own risk. This will then relieve the suppliers for the responsibility of replacing product.
Suppliers of color enhanced much products must try to limit the opportunities for product washing to occur during this month and a half window. They can do so by following the options listed below.
• Limit all deliveries when rain is forecasted within the next 24 hours.
• Call all customers receiving material and express the concerns of spreading the color-enhanced mulch on forecasted rain days.
• Produce and inventory the products prior to shipment for two to three weeks.
• Inventory products in windrows not bulk piles to maximize surface area or drying area.
There is no steadfast rule on what is the required critical drying time. The variables of base fiber, moisture content, production inventory time and present weather conditions make that time a wide range. The market proven range has established a 24–72 hour window as acceptable. The timeframe is based on when the product is installed not produced. Again this is not set in stone. Following the above stated guidelines will greatly improve the results.
Replenishing “Washed” Product
In the event product “washing” does occur, there are a couple of options available to replenish the material. If the material is in a bulk pile, the product can simply be rolled back into the pile. There will be enough colorant and moisture in the pile to color-enhance the surface material. There will be no product loss.
If the material has been applied to the landscape, there are three options to remedy the situation. One option is to lightly rake the surface. Colorant loss is normally limited to the top half inch of material. Mulch is normally applied at a two-inch depth leaving plenty of material to cover the surface. The second option is to top surface with an additional half inch of fresh color enhanced product. The third option is to top spray the surface with a water and colorant solution. A mix ratio of 20:1 will provide excellent results. Any standard backpack sprayer will work. The colorant and water needs to be mixed prior to spraying, as most of the colorants are more dense than water and separate rapidly.
As markets become more established and mature, the issues of product “washing” becomes minimized. The more the education process is promoted, the smaller the issue becomes. The more effort that is proactively placed on the front end of the sale will save a tremendous amount of effort on the backside. The good news is Spring only comes once a year.
Posted at 09:27 AM | Link to this Article