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Tying Up

What material can I use for tying plants (climbers) up that will rot away after a few years and not strangle the plant like plastic ties wood ?

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I use a soft garden twine made from jute.  You can also buy garden raffia. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    Jute string in a tin is perfect. Buy from somewhere like Poundstretcher as it's a fraction of the price at the garden centre.
  • thankyou,  as it happens I have just looked at the garden twine we have in the garage and it says 'Biodegradable Jute'

    Typically how long does it last for ?
    I seem to think we have some of it that has been outdoors in the garden for years and still seems in good condition.

    I was more hoping for something a little wider (strap like)  that would have failed in a year (and then naturally degrade)

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited July 2019

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    String in a tin, doesn’t last even one season here, ordinary string won’t do for long term, I was tying up my tomatoes with it, it broke in my hand when I pulled it. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • PeggyTXPeggyTX Posts: 556
    edited July 2019
    I have always used cut up "runner" ruined nylon stockings and nylon anklets.  The stretch quality is easy on the bark and branches, does no damage (to date) on ant trees or vines I've used it for, and if not too tight, will allow some vines to push on through it quite nicely without having to remove and re-tie (unless a new branchlet is blocking upward growth/movement).  Rots away in about a year, sometimes longer if I haven't cut them into too narrow strips.   
    My low-carb recipe site: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/
  • I have always used cut up "runner" ruined nylon stockings and nylon anklets.  The stretch quality is easy on the bark and branches, does no damage (to date) on ant trees or vines I've used it for, and if not too tight, will allow some vines to push on through it quite nicely without having to remove and re-tie (unless a new branchlet is blocking upward growth/movement).  Rots away in about a year, sometimes longer if I haven't cut them into too narrow strips.   
    problem with this is; basically Nylons are synthetic polymers (Plastics), so although they do appear to rot away, they are really just breaking down into microplastics, and that could very well be a bad thing for the environment.

    i have used them in the past in the garden, but since the realisation of the 'plastic' problem I am trying to avoid such things.
  • You can get cotton "bandages" - they are soft and pliable and don't rub against the plant.  They do degrade over time.
    Raffia is another option.
    that's a thought - providing they are a 100% cotton the they should rot away naturally,  a lot of cottons are blended with polyesters (plastics)  which again is something I'm trying to avoid.
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    How about buying 100% cotton T shirts from a charity shop and cutting them in strips?
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