Mulch and method of manufacturing mulch

• US 6,523,299 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LSC Phoenix Paper, LLC
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Paper Products
• Inventors: Morris, Samuel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Son T.
• Application Number:
  US09/808,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20020129545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 47/9
• US Class Current: 47/9
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/0262 Mulches, i.e. covering material not-pre-formed in mats or sheets A01G13/0281 takes precedence; composition of mulches C09K17/52
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/52 Mulches
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/28 specially adapted for farming

Abstract

A mulch for use in association with the germination of seed comprising paper particles and corn particles. The paper and corn particles are intimately mixed into a substantially uniform mulch. The mulch may be compressed into a pellet form. Additionally, the invention includes a method of manufacturing the mulch.

Claims

1. A mulch for use in association with the germination of seed comprising:

fibers composed of;

about 15 to 98% by weight paper particles; and

about 2 to 85% by weight corn particles; and

about 4 to 15% by weight water hydrating the fibers;

wherein the paper and corn particles are intimately mixed into a substantially uniform mulch, and wherein the hydrated fibers comprise at least 97% of the weight of the resulting mulch.

2. The mulch product of claim 1 further comprising a tackifier/binder.

3. The mulch product of claim 2 wherein the tackifier/binder comprises one of the group consisting of:

guar gum, plantego gum, vegetable gums, starches and water-swellable polymers.

4. The mulch product of claim 2 wherein the tackifier content is between 0 and 3% by weight.

5. The mulch product of claim 1 further comprising a surfactant.

6. The mulch product of claim 5 wherein the surfactant is selected from one of the group consisting of:

anionic, cationic and non-ionic.

7. The mulch product of claim 5 wherein the surfactant content is between 0 and 0.5% by weight.

8. The mulch product of claim 1 wherein the paper particles comprise shredded paper.

9. The mulch product of claim 8 wherein the paper particles comprise one of the group consisting of:

paperboard, cardboard, newspaper and recycled paper.

10. The mulch product of claim 1 wherein the corn particles comprise at least one of corn stalks and corn husks.

11. The mulch product of claim 1 further comprising a dye.

12. The mulch product of claim 11 wherein the dye consists of one of the following colors:

pink, green, blue-green, red, purple, yellow and combinations of the foregoing.

13. The mulch product of claim 1 wherein the paper particles comprise between about 80 to 90% by weight.

14. The mulch product of claim 1 wherein the corn particles comprise between about 10 to 20% by weight.

15. A pelleted mulch product comprising:

fibers composed of;

paper particles, wherein the paper particles comprise about 15 to 98% by weight; and

corn mulch particles, wherein the corn particles comprise about 2 to 85% by weight, and

about 4 to 15% by weight water hydrating the fibers;

wherein, the hydrated fibers comprise at least 97% of the weight of the resulting mulch and wherein the paper particles and corn particles are mixed and pelleted.

16. The mulch product of claim 15 wherein the pellets generally include a length of about ⅛

to 1½

inches.

17. The mulch product of claim 15 wherein the pellets generally include a circular cross-sectional configuration.

18. The mulch product of claim 15 wherein the pellets further comprise a tackifier/binder.

19. The mulch product of claim 15 wherein the tackifier/binder comprises about 0 to 3% by weight of the mulch.

20. The mulch product of claim 15 further comprising a surfactant.

21. The mulch product of claim 15 wherein the surfactant comprises about 0 to 0.5% by weight of the mulch.

22. The mulch product of claim 15 wherein the paper particles comprise between about 80 to 90% by weight.

23. The mulch product of claim 15 wherein the corn particles comprise between about 10 to 20% by weight.

24. The mulch product of claim 15 further comprising water, wherein the water comprises about 4 to 15% by weight.

25. A method for manufacturing a mulch product comprising the steps of:

providing fibers composed of paper particles and corn particles;

mixing the paper and corn mulch particles such that the paper particles comprise about 15% to 98% by weight, and the corn particles comprise about 2% to 85% by weight; and

hydrating the paper particles and corn particles such that the water content is about 4 to 15% by weight,

wherein the hydrated fibers comprise at least 97% of the weight of the resulting mulch.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

pelletizing the mixed paper and corn particles.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of mixing a tacifier with at least one of the paper particles and the corn particles.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of mixing a surfactant with at least one of the paper particles and the corn particles.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the paper particles comprise between about 80 to 90% by weight.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the corn particles comprise between about 10 to 20% by weight.