Topic: any use for human hair?

[elvis2003]

hi all,ive can get my hands on human hair cuttings,from the hairdressing bit of our college,not from any bizarre activity.....as part of our ongoing bid to recycle anything and evrything...any ideas how we could use the hair up the lottie? only idea ive got is to use it in a homemade bee house,you know,the one where you tape 2 terracotta pots together and bury em with a breathing pipe sticking out....anymore ?
rach
x

[saddad]

It's supposed to repel slugs if ised as a top mulch round the stems...  ::)
Never had enough to try it myself... (Yes I still have my own hair, but I'm keeping it!!)  ;D

[betula]

Compost,all my dog hair has rotted down great. :)

[Baccy Man]

It can be used as a mulch to help retain moisture in the ground. If you create a mulch a few inches thick it keeps weeds down as they struggle to grow through it. It is often referred to as a slow release fertiliser which gradually releases nitrogen as it breaks down although there are conflicting opinions over that. It can be composted.
If you wanted to try an easy mycoremediation project you could compost oil. The common oyster mushroom (pleurotus ostreatus) will break down any type of oil into compost which is perfectly safe to use on your plot. First you need a source of oil doesn't matter what type (engine oil is just as suitable as waste vegetable oil would be). You need something to absorb it human hair is one of the best things around for this purpose & is increasingly used to clean up oil spills. You can buy grain spawn if you want but it is considerably cheaper to leave an oyster mushroom for a few days until the top surface is covered with mycelial growth. Fill a plastic bag with a mix of oil & hair placing spawn or pieces of mushroom around the edges of the bag as you fill it. Leave somewhere warm. Within 3 weeks (depending on the amount of material) it should be completely colonised with mycelial growth (white mould). Cut a few small holes in the bag so it can fruit. It will produce a load of oyster mushrooms over several weeks until it has broken down all the material then you will be left with a bag of compost which can be added directly to your plot or to your compost heap if you want to break it down further.

[tim]

Deters deer!

[cornykev]

Syrups.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Levi]

Glad you've raised this cos I collect hair from my local salon but am chewing over its use cos of the kind of chemicals it might have been treated with. As I don't use them otherwise am a bit iffy. Be interested in people's opinions.

[rosebud]

 Hahahahaha, @ Corneykev.

How about putting some out for the birds to use for nesting they absolutely grab it up, we used to put my sisters dogs hair out & watch them in the spring. ;D

[manicscousers]

we used it around our lettuces in the polytunnel last year (dogs and 4 different people's) it seemed to work but the lettuces that were not protected didn't get eaten, either  ;D

[ACE]

I think it deters wabbits.

[cornykev]

I put mine in my compost but with women having their hair dyed ,coloured and hair sprays I wouldn't put theirs in my compost because of the chemicals but someone will come along and tell me different well thats my two pennith.    ;D ;D ;D

[thifasmom]

my husband cuts his hair, my mum's and mine when i'm into the bald look and we compost i all.

[kenkew]

I put a hugh amount of dog hair out for the birds last year...they never touched it. Also used it as a mulch but it never seems to go away!.....dug it up for years afterwards.....Best thing is not to cut it off in the first place..... :D