A landscape product includes a compressed mulch tile having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a height between the top and bottom surfaces. The compressed mulch tile is made from loose mulch that has been dried, compressed and adhered together. A sheet of landscape fabric is adhered to the bottom surface of the compressed mulch tile.

A mulch composition includes a blend of about 50-85 wt. % fibrous straw, based on the total weight of the composition; about 10-30 wt. % refined pulp fibers, based on the total weight of the composition; and about 10-40 wt. % fibrous wood components, based on the total weight of the composition, the blend having about 10-15 wt. % of particles having particle size of 2360 ?m or greater.

An accessory configured to be connected to a self-propelled landscaping device. The accessory includes a frame that is releasably connectable to the device. The accessory includes a hopper supported on the frame and configured to hold bulk material in an interior area thereof. The hopper includes an upper opening for receiving bulk material and a lower opening for discharging the material. A conveyor extends below the hopper. The conveyor is selectively operative to move bulk material discharged from the lower opening in a first direction toward a conveyor first end or in a second direction toward a conveyor second end. A spreader is configured to engage and propel bulk material that is discharged at the conveyor first end. A conveyor extension is movably mounted on the frame and that includes an outward end that is selectively positionable outward in the second direction. Material delivered from the conveyor second end is movable on the conveyor extension and discharged at the outward end.

The invention provides a closed system for collecting, mulching and storing natural yard waste in a manner that saves time and labor. Storage of the natural yard waste is enabled by use of off the shelf bags instead of customized bags that must be later dumped into a generic storage housing. The system is empowered by a device that is attachable to such off the shelf bags and fully uses their volume so that maximum storage is achieved.

A method is provided for producing a biochar solution. The method comprises the steps of collecting biochar particles, dispersing the biochar particles in a liquid solution and adding a stabilizing agent to keep the biochar in flowable suspension. The stabilizing agent may be added to the liquid solution or to the biochar prior to placing the biochar in solution.

A process of comminution of one or more plant biomass materials having a grain direction to produce a mixture of plant biomass particles, by feeding the plant biomass material(s) in a direction of travel either substantially parallel to or substantially randomly to the grain direction one or more times through a counter rotating pair of intermeshing arrays of cutting discs (D) arrayed axially perpendicular to the direction of plant biomass travel.

A mulch composition includes a blend of about 50-85 wt. % fibrous straw, based on the total weight of the composition; about 10-30 wt. % refined pulp fibers, based on the total weight of the composition; and about 10-40 wt. % fibrous wood components, based on the total weight of the composition, the blend having about 10-15 wt. % of particles having particle size of 2360 pm or greater.

A combination of mulch and sterilized organic fertilizer is provided for hydro seeding and hydro-mulching for seed establishment and erosion control. The composition includes hammer milled straw, horse manure and urine, sterilized with heat and processed to provide an optimal particle size. The incorporation of horse manure utilizes a dispersible natural fertilizer collected and processed within a certain time frame which provides an efficient method of recycling green horse manure and liquid waste having a higher acidity than decomposed animal waste. Tackifiers and flocculants such as ground paper aid pumpability and help tack the straw fibers to the ground. The equipment includes a gas heat source, a dryer vessel and a processing unit. The dryer vessel receives the bedding composed of straw and manure for contact with the heated gases to convert the same to a sterilized dry material.

A compressed growing medium or mulch fiber opener comprising at least one set of adjacent rotating members, the rotating members having a surface and including at least one wire wound around at least a portion of the surface, wherein the wire includes a plurality of projections engaging compressed or partially opened growing medium or mulch fiber, and wherein a distance between the adjacent rotating members is sufficiently small to create at least one pinch point between the adjacent rotating members, the adjacent rotating members separating the fibers as the fibers pass through the at least one pinch point so that the density of the fiber is lowered by at least 50-95%.

The present invention provides a new mulch material that can control weed growth and enhance the fertility and richness of the underlying soil. The mulch material of the invention can decompose and be absorbed into the underlying soil over time. The present invention also provides a method for making such biodegradable mulch material. In one preferred embodiment, the biodegradable mulch comprises biodegradable newsprint and/or newspaper. leaves, and coffee grounds.