Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: rowlandwells on October 16, 2020, 16:53
-
I've been offered some sheep wool [fleeces] the sheep fleeces have been left in bags since they where shorn last summer could anyone tell me if sheep wool will compost down if put in a compost bin?
it seems a shame to leave it in bags if its possible to compost it and use it as a mulch any info much appreciated
-
I put the lint from the tumble dryer in our compost bin and when we've dug it out have never found any trace. Fleece is a natural product so should rot down but not really sure on this. I'd say small pieces would be okay, but please don't take my thoughts on this as sacred.
-
It would probably rot in time, but I think it would take a while.
I have seen it used as mulch around the base of fruit trees. Don’t ask me where but I do remember it being on tv at some point.
-
i have found it slow to compost. I reckon 2 years needed in a cold compost heap.
Good to supress weeds and slugs don't like it.
this year I have put some either under cardboard with compost on top of cardboard or cardboard wool then compost.
nothing like an experiment!
-
Maybe mix it with bracken? Dalefoot clearly think it's a good idea: https://www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk/products/wool-compost-for-potting.p.aspx
-
It would probably rot in time, but I think it would take a while.
I have seen it used as mulch around the base of fruit trees. Don’t ask me where but I do remember it being on tv at some point.
I’m sure that they use fleeces on commercially grown rhubarb as it acts as a slow release fertiliser.
https://thewoolroomblog.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/rhubarb-growing-is-a-wooly-business/
Actually wool waste from the processing of the fleeces. Sounds like it may take a while to breakdown though. Mind you, I put pretty large amount of dog hair in the compost in clumps and have never noticed it after a year when I dig the heap out.
-
We have people using fleeces as mulch too.