Soil conditioner

Abstract

Disclosed are soil conditioning products comprising: (1) one or more of an oil, a polymeric binder, a wax and a gel, or (2) a carrier and one or more of an oil, a polymeric binder, a wax and a gel. The wax is preferably a soy wax and the oil is preferably a soy oil. The invention further includes surface materials comprising a soil and a soil conditioning product according to the invention. Other materials may be added to any of these soil conditioning products or surface materials. If a carrier is used the soil conditioning product may be added to soil as a granular material, rather than as a gel or liquid.

1 . A soil conditioning product for mixing with a provided soil, the soil conditioning product comprising:
 (a) a carrier; and   (b) one or more of an oil, a gel, a polymeric binder and a wax, wherein the soil conditioning product at an ambient temperature binds together particles of the soil when mixed with the soil.   
   
   
       2 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  wherein the carrier includes organic binder. 
   
   
       3 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 2  wherein the carrier includes dried and ground plantago. 
   
   
       4 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 3  wherein the carrier includes dried and ground plantago seed husk. 
   
   
       5 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 4  wherein the carrier comprises 80% or more dried and ground plantago seed husk. 
   
   
       6 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises between 20% to 90% by weight of carrier. 
   
   
       7 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises 25% to 80% by weight of carrier. 
   
   
       8 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises 40% to 60% by weight of carrier. 
   
   
       9 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises wax. 
   
   
       10 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 9  wherein the wax is soy wax. 
   
   
       11 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 9  wherein the wax is an emulsified wax. 
   
   
       12 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 9  wherein the wax is a hydrogenated soy wax. 
   
   
       13 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises an oil. 
   
   
       14 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 13  wherein the oil is soy oil. 
   
   
       15 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 13  wherein the oil is mineral oil. 
   
   
       16 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 13  wherein the oil is petroleum oil. 
   
   
       17 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 13  wherein the oil is paraffinic oil. 
   
   
       18 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 13  wherein the oil is low-aromatic, vapthenic oil. 
   
   
       19 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 13  wherein the oil is cotton seed oil. 
   
   
       20 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises a polymeric binder. 
   
   
       21 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 20  wherein the polymeric binder comprises amorphous olefin. 
   
   
       22 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises wax and oil wherein the percentage by weight of wax to oil is between 1% to 30%. 
   
   
       23 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises wax and oil wherein the percentage by weight of wax to oil is between 1% and 15%. 
   
   
       24 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that comprises a gel. 
   
   
       25 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  wherein the carrier and one or more of an oil, a gel, a polymeric binder and a wax are mixed together in a pug mill. 
   
   
       26 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  wherein the one or more of an oil, a gel, a polymeric binder and a wax are heated and mixed with the carrier. 
   
   
       27 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that includes an oil and a polymeric binder. 
   
   
       28 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 27  wherein the polymeric binder is dispersed in the oil to create a formulation that is mixed with the carrier. 
   
   
       29 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 27  that includes 20-80% by weight of carrier. 
   
   
       30 . A surface material comprising:
 (a) soil; and   (b) a soil conditioning product mixed with the soil, the soil conditioning product comprising:
 (i) a carrier; and 
 (ii) one or more of an oil, a gel, a polymeric binder and a wax, wherein the soil conditioning product at an ambient temperature binds together particles of the soil when mixed with the soil. 
   
   
   
       31 . The surface material of  claim 30  wherein the soil comprises one or more of the group consisting of sand, silt, crushed stone, clay and gravel. 
   
   
       32 . The surface material of  claim 30  that comprises between 5 to 100 lbs. of soil conditioning product per ton of soil. 
   
   
       33 . The surface material of  claim 30  wherein the soil comprises crushed stone and the crushed stone is decomposed granite. 
   
   
       34 . A soil conditioning product including one or more of the group consisting of oil, gel, polymeric binder and wax. 
   
   
       35 . A soil conditioning product comprising one or more of soy oil and soy wax. 
   
   
       36 . A structure comprised of pebbles, stones and/or bricks and the soil conditioner of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       37 . The structure of  claim 36  that is a walkway. 
   
   
       38 . The structure of  claim 36  that is a driveway. 
   
   
       39 . The structure of  claim 36  that is a wall. 
   
   
       40 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 1  that includes a wax, an oil, and a polymeric binder. 
   
   
       41 . The soil conditioning product of  claim 24  wherein the gel comprises petroleum.