Minnesota Scrapie Information Number
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Woolch™
It is what’s happening in the green and growing world!

From commercial growing fields to home gardens, Woolch™ is the answer for those looking for increased yields with herbicide-free and pesticide-free weed control, moisture retaining mulch. No more plastic! When no longer needed for weed control, Woolch™ can simply be tilled in to the soil where it will biodegrade and release nitrogen. Hassle free disposal and great for your garden!

In most cases, Woolch™ provides effective weed control for two years. The wool mulch helps to increase yields, stabilize ground temperature, and retain moisture around plants. While the initial mulch installation is a bit labor intensive, the weed control results are worth it. For long term use with perennials, additional Woolch™ can be added on top of old mulch after the second year.

Field trials were done by mechanically planting strawberries, then hand placing the 15” wide strips of mulch over the rows, splitting the mulch above each plant and pulling it to the surface. For smaller applications, an easier way to install is to place the mulch strip where you want your rows after the soil has been prepared, then poke a hole in the mulch and place your seedling in the hole.

Woolch™ is a blend of about 50% wool fibers and 50% toothpick-size wood shavings. The wool used is a waste by-product created by the napping machine near the end of the blanket-making process at a local Minnesota woolen mill. The wood is a waste by-product created from virgin timber as it goes through the sawmill process. These wool and wood fibers are then blended together via a roller and heat process at a small family operated company on the edge of the Minnesota Iron Range region. Marketed and produced by Minnesota Lamb and Wool producers as a value added crop, this product has been field tested on strawberry fields and in apple orchards by the West Central Research and Outreach Center at the University of Minnesota in Morris with support provided by the Minnesota Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (www.auri.org).

Woolch™ comes in two convenient ready-to use sizes:
Berry Blankets (row strips 15 inches wide x 60 inches long) $5.00 each
Tomato Pads (square sections 20 inches x 20 inches) 3 pads for $7.00

To purchase, contact: Sherry Stirling at 651-257-0827 or stirling@tc.umn.edu. The storage/shipping warehouse is located in Lindstrom, MN. We will try to arrange low-cost delivery to your site. Products may also be picked up from various drop-off points to reduce shipping costs or if more convenient.