Method for making soil conditioner

Abstract

A method of making a landscaping mulch, using as its primary ingredient, spent stable bedding which has its primary ingredient ripe de bois softwood shavings. The result of the method is a mulch, particularly for landscaping applications, having a relatively high pH value, between 6.5 and 7.5, which is also useful for neutralizing the effects of acid rain. The method involves the steps of mixing agricultural manure in 10 the range of 5%-25%, softwood shavings from spent stable bedding in an amount of greater than 60%, and when necessary, to augment carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, other ancillary ingredients in an amount less than 25%; producing a result by the mixing of ingredients, which has a carbon-to-nitrogen range from 100 to 200 parts of carbon to 1 part of nitrogen. Thereafter, the mixed ingredients are used to form piles, which are then over-saturated with water. Thereafter, liquid is percolated through the mixed ingredients, which liquid is expressed from the bottom of the pile by gravity. Thereafter, the pile is resaturated with the expressed liquid, now rich in tannin liquors, in order to provide a natural coloring agent for the material. Then the water flow is halted in order to allow biological activity to generate heat. Heat bakes-in the color and releases more tannins for extraction when liquid saturation is resumed. The foregoing process, beginning with resaturation, is repeated until the desired color is achieved.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for making a soil conditioner having a high pH value and a dark color without artificial dyes, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) mixing softwood shavings and agricultural manure to provide, after mixing, a material having a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in the range of 100-200 parts of carbon to one part of nitrogen;    (b) forming piles of mixed ingredients in the form of truncated cones having cavities at the tops thereof and concentric troughs spaced on the side walls of each of said cones, with each cone having a volume in the range of 1500-4000 cubic yards;    (c) over-saturating the piles with water so that liquid percolates through the mixed ingredients to be expressed from the bottom of the pile by gravity and to form a pool of liquid, rich in tannin liquors proximate the base of each cone for use in resaturating said cone;    (d) halting the water flow in each cone enabling the generation of heat in the cone by means of biological activity, said heat baking-in the color of the pile; and    (e) the piles thereby releasing more tannins for extraction as said resaturation is resumed, with the process of resaturation being repeated until desired dark color is achieved.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said mixing is accomplished using softwood shavings in an amount by volume of at least 60%.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2  wherein said mixing is accomplished using agricultural manure in an amount by volume of no more than 25%.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein dams are provided proximate the base of said cones for enabling the pooling of liquid expressed from the bottom of the pile.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein ancillary ingredients selected from the following are used for said mixing: 
 soiled cow bedding, grass clippings, spoiled silage and/or green chop, if nitrogenous supplements are required to provide said ratio.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 3  wherein ancillary ingredients selected from the following are used for said mixing: 
 straw, sawdust, and/or any organic wood chip or shaving of homogenous size, if carbonaceous materials are required for said ratio.