Vertical Mulching: how to fill the holes.

NickfromWI

NickfromWI

Participating member
Location
Los Angeles, CA
So I've been selling more and more vertical mulching jobs. Have 3 this week. It's got me thinking- what's the best way to fill the holes?

What I am doing now is super slow. If working by myself I will airspade a couple rows of holes 12-24" deep. Then when I want a break I grab a bucket of my fill mix and get on my knees and pour scoops into the holes

I find this to he slow and super tedious. The fill doesn't just fall straight it. It gets lightly clogged so I have to stop and poke the fill in gently. Maybe each hole takes 10-30 seconds, but it's not fast enough!

Anyway- there seem to be a few guys here who have done it. What are your techniques?

love
nick
 
That is how I have always seen it done. We used a wheelbarrow and not a bucket. I always wanted to make a super funnel. a 2" pvc tube cut to length with a vessel on top to hold compost. Not sure if this will be more efficient, the compost could clog in the tube. Somebody should try it and see.
 
There's got to be a way to make a device to take advantage of the air compressor to blow the mix into the holes.

There's also the question of what is the best mix. We use half composted wood chips which don't tend to be too flowable.

I'll work on a design and the patent Application in my spare time.

V
 
I have this idea.....

You know those pancake batter dropper things?

http://goo.gl/G5mAS

Connect a bucket to the top so it can hold like a gallon of mix. Hook a 3' piece of PVC pipe to the bottom and go to town filling holes while standing up.

Could it work?
 
Well, you already have the compressor there, you could go with a vacuum transfer item, such as a line vac from exair.

The size of the nozzle needed would depend on the mulch you're putting in the hole, but I think a 2" would probably work out nicely. A 2" line vac runs about $320 in aluminum, $510 in stainless. 4" goes up to $600 in aluminum.

Here's their product video for the line vacs.

http://www.exair.com/pages/theater.aspx?gi=4001&dlg=1&gf=Air+Operated+Conveyors
 
Nick, you're on the right track with the pancake batter funnel. We use a tool that I've always taken for granted since it's just always been here. I never realized that it might be rare or hard to find, but I can't after a quick Google session.
It's a fiberglass funnel, about 30" tall, and it holds about 15 to 20 pounds of fert/mix. It has a handle across the top, with a spring loaded thumb lever that opens and closes the chute at the bottom. Awesome because it holds a lot of mix, and it hangs right at ground level when standing. We think it is from the 1960's, most likely bought from Keummerling. I'll try to post some pics now, but if I can't I'll send you some via email if you want.
 

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One more. They work great, and shouldn't be too hard to replicate.
 

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Like the fibeglass funnel thing its sweet....I use a road cone to the same effect, with the top cut off so the hole is about 2.5 - 3 inches. fill it up with our mix and use my hand as a stopper. it still takes a long time

"our mix" 1/3 compost 1/3 zeolite 1/3 Rhizoscience
 
It's called a Lynsky Tree Feeder. I've wondered how it would work for VM. It was originally developed for granular fertilizer. The last time I saw them listed, they were pretty pricy. Since Kuemmerling is out of business, they may be impossible to get. If I were making one, I would probably use a little bigger pipe for the nozzle. That one actually looks pretty new, they originally were made out of furnace duct sheet metal. Really showing my age now.
 
Correct myself! American Arborist Supply in West Chester PA lists them on their website for $265.00. There you go.
 
Wowsers! So glad I asked!

Okay. So here is how this is probably gonna actually happen. I got the link. I see the idea. It's better than what I had in mind- but it's also super expensive.

I'll putz around with locally sourced parts and see what I can do on the cheap. I'll start with a big funnel and some PVC pipe and go from there. If I can't come up with something decent, then I'm gonna pop down the big bucks and just the real deal.

Wish me luck! Doing three trees on friday!

love
nick
 
Uhhh... don't start off by spending a bunch of money on tools. Make a wire fid. Take your time. Plan on chopping off splices half way through and starting over. It'll go smoother the second time around.

We even now?
 
Uhh, no. Have basic tools and wire fids and have cut a number of splices. looking for the subtle tricks that yuns guys use. Have watched your posted vid of the Blue Moon splice and Wonder why you bury the core first when the Yale directions bury the cover first? Stuff like that. Just did a splice on NE High Vis and the final bury slipped right in, almost scary. Was also doing a friction saver with Blue Streak that I had to cut when I couldn't get the second final bury. Answer me that and we could be even.
grin.gif
 
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