Wool Life's weed mats and plant-based pegs completely break down over 12-18 months, while supplying plants with nutrients to help them thrive. Photo / Supplied
Wool Life's weed mats and plant-based pegs completely break down over 12-18 months, while supplying plants with nutrients to help them thrive. Photo / Supplied
A new weed and mulch mat made from natural New Zealand wool is providing a completely organic and biodegradable option for weed control while helping gardeners reduce their environmental impact and support the agriculture industry.
Wool Life weed and mulch mats contained 100 per cent pure New Zealand wool andare an organic product with a low-carbon sustainable footprint.
This was a key point of difference, Wool Life director Stephen Fookes said.
"We use a low energy needle punching and carding process to create the mats which are produced at our plant located at Te Poi near Matamata."
Using new and untreated wool had benefits over recycled wool as the finished product was completely pure and didn't require any chemical treatment, Fookes said.
"The mats and pegs completely biodegrade over 12-18 months."
Wool provided a nurturing environment for new plants with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium supplied to the soil in optimum amounts as the mats broke down, Fookes said.
Wool's water retaining properties were also important when considering the environmental benefits of reduced water usage, Fookes said.
"Wool is made up of 16 per cent nitrogen, 3 per cent sulphur and trace amounts of phosphorous and potassium. It is perfectly suited to complement soil nutrition requirements once its weed control function is completed."
Wool also held up to 33 per cent of its weight as water," Fookes said.
"It absorbs water into its inner layers and releases it slowly once the relative humidity drops below 65 per cent which reduces the need for watering."
Tai Tapu lifestyle block owner Michelle Wilson has been trialling Wool Life's weed and mulch mats in her garden, to see how it compares with the coconut matting she previously used to control weeds.
It was important for Wilson to know exactly what was in the products she used around her garden.
This was because protecting the environment was a key value for Wilson's family and her business Zing Bokashi.
"I like to know exactly what's in products, where they are made, where the ingredients come from and if they are local and organic. We like to support local and New Zealand-made products wherever possible," she said.
Wilson's property is located on top of a hill which makes it prone to erosion and high winds.
She relies on rainwater for her large garden which includes hundreds of native plants, such as flaxes and totara, along with a select few non-natives which are used to attract bees to the nearby vegetable garden.
Tai Tapu lifestyle block owner Michelle Wilson and her children Blake and Jacob test out the wool weed mat while planting at their property. Photo / Supplied
Wilson was impressed with the wool weed mats so far, especially the water retention properties and the biodegradable plant-based pegs.
"Water is a precious resource to us so anything we can do to save water is important. I love how both the mats and the pegs break down and there is nothing left behind to harm the environment.
"The barbed design of the pegs makes them easy to insert into the weed mat and once they are in, they stay put which is really important on a hilly and windy site like mine."
Another feature that stood out for Wilson was that slugs and snails were repelled by tiny naturally-occurring barbs in the wool, which prevented them from crossing the mat.
"I think that will appeal to lots of gardeners because no one likes snails and slugs eating all their new plants."
Wilson and her family had a long-term goal of leaving their land in a better condition than when they found it and attracting more native wildlife to the area through their planting efforts
"We are all about enhancing the land and bringing more of what is already living nearby like wood pigeons, geckos and bellbirds.
