Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: Man-K on June 04, 2007, 10:38

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: Man-K on June 04, 2007, 10:38

A friend of mine just sheared his flock of 16 sheep.
Normally he just burns or skips the wool as can only get about £2 per fleece which is a loss after he has spent the fuel delivering them to the buyer.

He knows this is a waste and has long searched for another use for them. I was trying to think if they could be used down on my plot somehow, maybe as ground cover?

Anyone any ideas or would I just be creating more work for myself?
K

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: WG. on June 04, 2007, 10:41

Lucky you, shoddy is valuable stuff in the garden.  Search for it in http://www.ecodyfi.org.uk/growing/downloads/week4.pdf

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: corndolly on June 08, 2007, 09:13

Hi I am a spinner and always looking out for fleece , if your friend still has the fleece , I would gladly use them rather than burn them ,as we live in worcs, we could probably collect .

If you think he would be interested do PM me.
 :)

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: GrannieAnnie on June 08, 2007, 11:07

Or you could insulate your loft with them???

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: Aunt Sally on June 08, 2007, 15:29

Flammable perhaps grannie  :?

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: seadart on June 08, 2007, 22:01

Quote

Or you could insulate your loft with them???

Nigel on "The Archers" insulated his loft with fleece! lol

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: WG. on June 08, 2007, 22:10

Quote from: "Aunt Sally"

Flammable perhaps grannie  :?

And very smelly

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: maxsalad on September 25, 2007, 00:06

Put it in Fruit tree planting holes! -extra nutrients....

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: van connick on September 25, 2007, 06:46

if you wash the fleece, very gently in cool water and mild soap flakes, the water that comes off makes excellent liquid fertilizer.

i know this because i am a spinner of fleece and i use all the dirty water on my plants....it is fantastic.

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: Spinning Fishwife on September 25, 2007, 08:36

It's great for the compost bin (in thin layers between soft materials) and as a mulch. Hang a few strands up for the birds at nesting time as well.

And learn to spin or make felt? There's still plenty of a fleece left for recycling even after you've taken off the spinnable parts.

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: muntjac on September 25, 2007, 11:42

erm hanging baskets ...... holds the compost in nice  :wink:

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: van connick on September 25, 2007, 18:53

brilliant idea munty......better than those horrid liners you can buy, and a whole lot better than moss.....

just a thought tho....wont the birds raid the baskets for their nests?

not that i mind......i hang out bits fleece every year for the birds to line their nests with, but it does take them a while to get used to it....i swear they think it is an animal ready to pounce on them for the first few days.....
i also used the fluff from the tumble dryer and hair from the hairbrush....they love it.

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: Zoidberg on October 26, 2007, 11:43

what a shame, i hope it gets used now!  :?
Wool is commonly used as insulation here, and as far as I know there's no problems with moisture or flammability any more than with other types of insulation.
Having a flammable coat wouldn't be a very good survival skill for the sheep ?  :shock:
I think they treat it with something to avoid problems with insects eating it or making a home in it!!

They do apparently use it in other parts of the world too:

Wool insulation (http://www.sheepwoolinsulation.ie/techprods.asp)

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: Sally A on October 26, 2007, 11:59

They used it in the UK which led to a massive claim against the suppliers as all the cavity walls for a new build estate got inundated with clothes moths.  They had to rip the houses apart to rectify the problem.

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: Zoidberg on October 26, 2007, 12:01

hah woops that'll be what the treatment is for  :tongue2:

Title: Could I make use of sheeps wool?
Post by: GrannieAnnie on October 26, 2007, 14:27

I have heard of it being used as loft insulation here too, that's why I mentioned it all those months ago!!!!   :D

I would love some for my hanging baskets, shame Worcester is so far away!!!