PRODUCT COMPARISON
SAFETY:
Tropi-Mulch is made from local hardwood, water and colorants (rust and Charcoal) MSDS is available.
COMPETITORS: Both competitors use pallet wood and shipping crates. To ensure that pallets/Shipping crates remain intact during shipping they are treated with carcinogenic (cancer causing insecticides eg Methyl Bromide). See ’Montreal Protocol’ for dangers of such.
Tropi-Mulch is certified safe for use around horticultural and food producing plants by the Central Experiment Station at Centeno. As our mulch “slowly” decays it DOES NOT ADD any synthetic/ carcinogenic components into the soil to contaminate ground water, soil organisms or upcycle into the food chain and harm humans or animals.
NET RESULT: Tropi-Mulch is safe for use around humans, pets, soil organisms and safe for Use in food production. All major organic and permaculture food products Will only use Tropi-Mulch!!
DURABILITY:
Tropi-Mulch is made from upcycled local hardwood (balata, cedar, samaan,Teak, mahogany etc). These wood decay very slowly. Our product will last Over 12 months on the ground.
Whereas: Pallet wood is derived from soft north American species (pitch Pine) and have a rapid decay rate.
NET RESULT: Customer will have to replace mulch made from pallet wood very often.
ACICDITY:
Tropi-Mulch has a slower decay rate. The slower a wood decays the lower the impact on soil pH. Because local hardwood (is hard) i.e high lignim content it decays very slowly so soil pH remains close to neutrality pH7.
Whereas: Pitch pine (pallet wood) has a rapid decay rate. This results in acidity spike within soil pH of 3.
NET RESULT: Most plants thrive in a soil of pH7. Acid soils harm plants.
COLORANT ADHESION:
Tropi-Mulch uses colorant from the Industry leader in quality and safety from the USA. What goes into the soil is what comes out from it. It contains NO SYNTHETIC carcinogenic ingredients, MSDS available.
Superior color adhesion – colorant does not come off wood onto the packaging. Examine our bags, the inner plastic is NOT COLORED RED.
COMPETITORS: We do not know anything of their colorant standards. However, through observation, bag of their product the inside of the plastic bag is colored red. This indicates that the colorant comes off the wood very easily, whilst it is in the bag.
NET RESULT: Tropi-Mulch colorant can resist fade for over 6 months in harsh tropical conditions.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF TERMITES AND FUNGUS
Tropi-Mulch uses specific wood species that protect against termites and fungus. Cedar has a benzene aromatic compound that is “bitter” and repels termites. It is a constituant ingredient. Our bag can remain in storage over 1 year without fungal growth. No synthetic fungicide or insecticide added.
COMPETITORS: No information on method of termite/fungal control.
OBSERVATION: Retail customers have been complaining that competitors product become covered rapidly with a cream colored fungus (sclerotium sulfi) if kept in storage for more than 2 weeks.
NET RESULT: (i) Tropi-Mulch can be safely stored for up to 1 year before use.
(ii) Sclerotium sulfi and other fungus are harmful to plants.
(iii) Competitors product cannot be kept in storage for long Periods.
HONESTY / VALUE FOR MONEY
Tropi-Mulch: Packaged in a 20’’X30’’X4.0 mil LDPE bag labelled 1.5 cuft (46L) Net wt – 35 lbs.
NET RESULT: With Tropi-Mulch you get what you pay for!
PARTICLE SIZE OF WOOD
TROPI-MULCH: 4 inches to ½”. It forms a matrix when installed to prevent light from Reaching soil, (weed control) as well as a blanket of insulation to reduce water evaporation.
NET RESULT Other mulch products is smaller an less dense so it washes away or blows away easily.