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Cotton-fiber hydromulch option for erosion control

Sep 28, 2007 9:31 AM

In cooperation with Cotton Incorporated and the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, Mulch & Seed Innovations, LLC, has developed two all-natural cotton-fiber hydromulch products that help control soil erosion — GeoSkin cotton hydromulch (used for semi-flat terrains) and HydraCX2 high-performance cotton hydromulch (used for steep slopes).

According to Tom Wedegaertner, Cotton Incorporated’s director of cottonseed research and marketing, by-products of the cotton ginning process create 2.5 million tons of bio-mass each year. “By converting a portion of this into hydromulch, it creates a practical use for what used to be identified as simply waste,” he said, “ultimately increasing the overall demand for cotton.”

Hydraulically applied, GeoSkin and HydraCX2 perform better than wood, paper or synthetic mulches — and establish grass seed more quickly while protecting the soil against unfavorable weather conditions like heavy wind and rain, Wedegaertner said. The technology behind the cotton-fiber hydromulch, he said, allows “the soil to stay put so it can absorb an adequate amount of moisture and quickly establish germination, adding nutrients to the soil for long-term erosion control.”

“Cotton by nature is porous, absorbent and biodegradable — the perfect trio for controlling erosion and establishing seed,” said Wae Ellis, Mulch & Seed Innovations vice president of sales and marketing.

The products are marketed with Cotton Incorporated’s GeoPhillics trademark (meaning “Earth loving cotton”), incorporating the highly recognized Seal of Cotton trademark, which Wedegartner says helps consumers identify Mulch & Seed Innovation’s cotton-based seed nurturing and soil stabilizing products. “Studies have shown that eight out of 10 consumers recognize the Seal of Cotton,” he said, “so marketing these hydromulches with the GeoPhillics trademark hopefully provides consumers with an initial trust of the product.”

Produced exclusively by Mulch & Seed Innovations in Centre, Ala., GeoSkin has eight distributors within the United States, which can be found at http://geoskin.com/, while HydraCX2 is now distributed by North American Green (http://www.nagreen.com/) — a leading erosion control solutions provider — as their first product in its new line of HydraMatriCx products, increasing its distributors to nearly 70 worldwide.

Both products are also cost effective compared to other mulches and have a favorable deep-green color that adds to its natural character. For more information about GeoSkin and HydraCX2, visit http://mulchandseed.com/.