Tackifiers are one of the most essential parts of erosion control that usually go unnoticed, but not unused. They are vital to helping prevent wind erosion, which is a severe environmental problem. Although it’s a natural phenomenon, wind erosion damages both land and natural vegetation, which causes nutrient loss and air pollution.
Tackifiers are chemical adhesive compounds that increase the stickiness of a treated surface area. They are commonly used to keep mulch, straw, or seeds in one spot and prevent them from accidentally migrating due to wind or water. Most tackifiers are durable and waterproof, proving to be essential tools for any landscaping project.
Erosion is a natural process where rocks or soil are moved from one location to another by wind or water. Material can move due to erosion for distances ranging from a few feet to thousands of miles.
Suspension, saltation, and surface creep are the three types of soil movement which occur during wind erosion. Any of these types of erosion can create huge problems when attempting to grow vegetation, and can possibly make your home look like a dust storm blew through.
Various factors intensify and speed up erosion, such as intensive farming, climate change, cutting down trees, and construction — which is why it’s essential to practice erosion control properly.
Erosion control is a process commonly practiced in construction and landscaping aimed at keeping soil from being removed by wind or rain. When completing major landscaping projects outdoors, controlling erosion is essential since the removal of landscapes can severely harm ecosystems and vegetation.
The biggest reason people use tackifiers is to help with wind erosion control, as tackifiers act as adhesives for “gluing” hydraulic mulch, blown straw, or dust to the soil surface.
Tackifiers also functionally improve the uniformity and suspension of the mulch and seed slurry, acting as a lubricant to provide a smooth flow during application. This also helps ensure your seed gets distributed evenly.
Tackifiers help strengthen the hydraulic growth medium, which helps provide the time needed for vegetation to flourish. Without tackifiers, time spent creating the growth medium might go to waste if storms and wind brush it away before plants and crops establish themselves.
There are several different types of tackifiers that erosion control professionals may use.
Granite Seed offers both inorganic and organic tackifiers for gluing hydraulic mulch, straw mulch, or controlling dust.
We can also supply acrylic copolymer based inorganic tackifiers, which have the advantage of lasting longer in wet conditions. To demonstrate, if it rains, the polymer material will absorb the water. When it dries, there is a new seal over the soil, providing extra durability. These products also help with long-term dust control.
Most commonly, we use guar, Plantago, and most recently, Tornado Tack.
Guar is a plant-based product derived from the ground endosperm of the guar plant, treated with dispersant agents for easy mixing. It is processed into a water-soluble paste called “guar gum.”
What’s most appealing about it is that it’s environmentally friendly and is one of the cheapest and most-used seed glues. It’s one of the most popular tackifiers that hydroseeding professionals use since it’s natural and puts nitrogen back into the soil.
Plantago is another plant-based tackifier made from the ground-up protective coating of the Plantago seed, also known as psyllium. Plantago is excellent when it comes to stabilizing soils and is often used in hydroseeding and dust control applications.
M-Binder is a botanical glue used as an aid in hydroseeding to stabilize soil and help dust control. It is also made from psyllium.
The purpose of the outer coating is to stick the seed to the soil to help improve germination — which is also useful for revegetation and restoration projects.
The best part is that you can use M-Binder anywhere you need to tack straw or mulch, or as a tool to control dust and erosion. It can also be used during rainstorms as it does not require set-up or drying time.
You can learn more about Granite Seed’s M-Binder tackifier here.
Tornado Tack is new — but is becoming increasingly popular.
Tornado Tack ST-1000 is an all-in-one, hydraulically-applied tacking solution for straw. It gives you twice the coverage while providing the most durable and environmentally-friendly bond. With the 500 pounds-per-acre application rate, it saves time through fewer load jobs.
The purpose of Tornado Tack is to prevent straw from blowing or washing away, minimize straw migration to other areas, and stabilize the growing environment. It is an environmentally safe alternative to asphalt emulsion binders and lengthens the staying power of the straw.
Tackifiers are simple but important tools for preventing wind erosion when completing a landscaping project or reintroducing natural vegetation. With favorite tools like guar, Plantago, and Tornado Tack, you can ensure that your seeds and straw will stay put no matter the weather — while being cost-effective.
Granite Seed has more than 30 years of experience with erosion control and tackifiers. Whether you need to keep the mulch in your front lawn from blowing away or are looking to reintroduce vegetation, we can provide simple solutions to get the most out of your project.
Contact the experts at Granite Seed to get started today!
USDA announces $40 million available to help ranchers restore sage grouse habitat. Click here to be taken to the USDA’s webpage for more information.
Attention Private Landowners! Usda Makes Funds Available For Sage Grouse Habitat RestorationContact us our experts are available to help with your reclamation, erosion control, turf and native seed projects.
CONTACT US
