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Biowise new Droughtbreaker Earth Blanket

November 29, 2011

Biowise new Droughtbreaker Earth Blanket

This new product has an interesting history. Biowise produce an organic compost from waste material rescued from going to landfill. These materials are composted to a high level and fully comply with the Australian standard for composted organics AS 4454,. This means that they are free from human and plant pathogens and as such are safe to use in gardens, even vegetable gardens in schools.

The mother compost is screened to produce a fine textured compost as well as a coarse mulch. By sending the coarse mulch back through the screen a fine mulch is produced that appeals to many home gardeners as well as commercial landscapers mainly for aesthetic reasons. The coarse material that remained from this secondary screening was at first seen as having no value. It was reincorporated in the mixing process with the raw ingredients to add bulk and improve air movement in the composting process. Essentially it was a waste product.

Demand for a chunky mulch with little or no fines, from landscapers prompted a reassessment of this by product. Research undertaken by Challenger Institute of Technology revealed this to be a highly effective mulch. It proved to be very porous so that water quickly moved down into the soil. It then helped to keep the moisture levels even in the soil and as it didn’t hold moisture in itself the plants gained all of the advantage. Fine textured mulches can even act as a wick and increase evaporative losses to the atmosphere - in essence robbing the soil of moisture. Temperature readings from the Challenger research showed that this mulch also acted like an insulating blanket helping to keep the soil temperatures cool.

Being chunky the new mulch, which was dubbed “Droughtbreaker Earth Blanket” is wind resistant and has a low fire risk as a result of being open textured and fully composted where the volatile oils are substantially removed.

Market take up has been very encouraging during the early summer launch. TV exposure was gained on the channel 7 Greenfingers Show. One third of soil yard customers of Biowise have taken the new mulch on. The number of landscape contractors using the mulch is increasing on a weekly basis.

Contact: Neville Passmore

Biowise

Email: Neville.passmore@me.com

Ph: (08) 9410 0477

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