Revegetation and Hydroseeding Season Finally Arrives
It’s been an unusually long winter for most of the country. In fact, many of the northern states just recently saw the last of their snow melt. But by now the ground is visible and the frost line has receded in the northern states, and the rain season is about to begin in the west and southern regions of the country. This means many revegetation and hydroseeding projects are about to begin, making now a perfect time to discuss the benefits of starch-based erosion control tackifiers.
Benefits of Starch-based Solutions
As I mentioned in one of my first blog articles, there are many advantages of starch-based tackifiers in terms of supply and functionality. Our StarTak line is proven to be more effective than other natural or synthetic tackifiers.
StarTak is developed from domestically grown corn and potato starch. These American-made products are in steady supply, resulting in a stable price point without the drastic price fluctuations found in products made with guar or plantago.
Overview of StarTak Products
When choosing the appropriate tackifier for your revegetation and hydroseeding projects, the key considerations are slope, wind and rain levels. StarTak® 100 is strictly an adhesive that binds the seed to the soil until germination. It is a better alternative to plantago-based solutions and is primarily used in hydroseeding, hydromulching and tackifying hay/straw.
StarTak® 600 is a more powerful solution that is highly modified to offer additional lubricity and thickening properties. It is a better option when you need a strong hold for steeper slopes or high winds. It can also survive higher rain events. In fact, you can watch this video from the Soil Erosion Research Lab at San Diego State University, where lab technicians raved about StarTak 600’s performance under extreme rainfall conditions.
Exciting Tests In Process
We have a number of exciting test projects underway. One entails StarTak 600 in a head-to-head competition with a guar-based product for erosion control along a roadway. A 10-acre plot is being divided in half, with each tackifier being applied to 5 acres. Regular status updates will be completed to measure and analyze the effectiveness of StarTak 600. The project has just kicked-off, but we’re confident our science will outperform the competition. We plan to share the test results and photos in a future Strictly Starch article, provided we’re given approval to.
Another exciting test in progress is at an airfield. StarTak 600 binds grass seed to soil so strongly that it can withstand the powerful winds created when a plane lands and takes off. This is another exciting example of the power of starch-based tackifiers to overcome unique erosion control challenges.
If you’re about to begin a revegetation project and would like to know more about our organic erosion control solutions, please send me an email. I’d be happy to discuss your project in greater detail.
-Bob Johnson
Sales and Marketing Manager