I'm going to try using our sheep's wool for lining hanging baskets this year, I've never done it before but I can't see why it won't work and I have access to loads of fresh fleeces. Any tips from the garden community would be much appreciated.
I am doing the same. I have used the little blankets that are used as insulating material in chilled food deliveries (Pasta Evangelists, in my case). The blankets were very easy to use in both hanging baskets and hay baskets so I hope they work.
I remember someone on TV (I think it was Alan Titchmarsh) using an old jumper to make a basket liner, and last year when the garden centres were shut I knitted some from leftover yarn, so it should work. And if they're dirty fleeces, built-in fertiliser 🙂
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
The Alan Titchmarsh thing was a trial to identify the best hanging basket liner. It turned out an old woolly jumper was the best. Within weeks he received scores of knitted to shape hanging basket liners from fans.
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)."
I am going to try the same in baskets. I think we need to be a bit careful not to fill it up too much with wool because that will make for less earth and less room for roots. It will be interesting to find a good balance.
In previous years I have used the bags that cut flowers sometimes come in that contain water crystals. I have cut the bags and lined for re-use. It seemed to work pretty well. I had saved them from flowers gifted to me.
So the wool is working very well as a lining for the big basket, it is holding water nicely and my cucumbers are growing well in it and about to scramble up the metal frame and over my ugly fuel tank. However, because the basket is quite low down, it has provided my naughty dogs with a new game of pulling the wool out and spreading it around the garden. I have had to add an extra line of defense, involving net and trellis, so all in all not as attractive as I had hoped but the cucumbers haven't noticed, they are unstoppable. Thanks to you all for your help and advice.
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