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Old fashioned mopheads

BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
in The potting shed
If I can buy them for a pittance on the market, and I sometimes can, I like to use the cords from old fashioned mops (the ones that look like puli dogs) to tie up plants.

Given there are several crafters on this forum, I wonder if anyone knows where I could source the soft cord that is used in these mops so I can have cord of a length that suits me? Alternative recommendations are appreciated but I know the fallback position is green twine such as made but Nutscene.

Thanks.
Rutland, England
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  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I thought at first that you were referring to mophead hydrangeas! 
    Is this the sort of thing you mean ?
    https://www.express-cleaning-supplies.co.uk/products/Floorcare/Mop+Heads/Traditional+Mop+Heads/Twine+Kentucky+Mop+Head+12oz/1293613058
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    My roll of green twine has all but disintegrated this year, done no more than two years. It’s ok to have everything biodegradable but some things should last longer.  Rolls of string, rolls of nylon cord, all gone to dust. 
    Roll of string here
    https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-string-ball-40m/p/0299456

    Haven't tried mop heads, don't know how long these would last. 

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bentley-Industrial-VZ-PY14-Plastic-Socket/dp/B077K3L7GV/ref=sr_1_31?qid=1570894679&s=industrial&sr=1-31

    https://www.wilko.com/wilko-string-mop-with-handle-teal/p/0454150
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Lyn, Anni ... yes, thank you. They’re exactly the ones. What I was looking for is a supplier of the cotton cord that is used in the making of those mops so I could use it for wrapping round canes to curtail plants. Currently I am restricted to 9” lengths.

    The ball of string from Wilko looks like a near neighbour to the ‘Hungarian pulì’ cord so I’ll check it out next time I’m in the store. Thanks for that link.
    Rutland, England
  • mrtjformanmrtjforman Posts: 331
    edited October 2019
    well it sounds like you want something long, flexible, soft and longlasting and since you like cutting up mopheads already I would suggest you move on to old T-shirts next. Cut one up into strips and you've got some great plant supports that should last a few years.

    Personally I use wire or nylon rope, sometimes that wilko string but it breaks very easily

    I have used electrical cable too. It's covered in insulation and is fairly flexible so protects plants from rubbing damage.
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    The problem is that I’m a taste snob! I really am not a fan of the Bob Flowerdew school of gardening which has function before form. I can see cut up tee shirts working but that is not a look I want in my garden. In fact I even dye the mop head threads a muddy green/brown colour because I think the white is garish! Pathetic, or what?
    Rutland, England
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    You would probably get a huge coil of that thin rope from a farmers store.
    I’ve got a roll of nylon rope , now it’s just a pile of dust.  
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Mops?!  Tut tut, Ben, taste snobs should always tie their plants up with just the right shade of soft, strong cashmere knitting wool of high ply. To ensure you choose the appropriate shade for each plant, it is advisable to take living samples to the haberdashers for comparative purposes. Three lengths twisted together is recommended for extra plant comfort and style.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    edited October 2019
    Don’t talk to me about cashmere. Or mohair. Why is it that clothes moths make a beeline for the expensive things in the wardrobe? I was at a fancy dinner quite recently and, half way through the meal, noticed my dinner jacket had been distinctly nibbled. And it wasn’t the cat.

    Thanks for the suggestion, Nollie, but I’ll pass on that one.😊
    Rutland, England
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    Hobbycraft shops sell chunky cotton yarn that I’ve used for some projects. It’s a thick yet soft cord, resembling shoelaces a bit...

    https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/knitcraft-ecru-return-of-the-mac-yarn-200g/641863-1005
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    What's wrong with hemp twine?  Discreet and lasts for ages.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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