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General => Top Tips => Topic started by: electric landlady on November 03, 2008, 19:11:50

Title: Old hop sacks: possible uses of
Post by: electric landlady on November 03, 2008, 19:11:50
Hello all

While clearing out the shed yesterday I found a large number of old hop sacks at the back. They are large (about 3' by 18") made of white plasticky woven stuff with a clear polythene lining, so are waterproof (although they are quite holey) but they're not strong enough to use for compost or anything very wet.

There are a lot of them - about 10 or 15 I think - and they are not very biodegradeable so I don't really want to throw them out, but I can't think of a single allotmenty use for them.

Any ideas? All suggestions welcome.
Title: Re: Old hop sacks: possible uses of
Post by: caroline7758 on November 03, 2008, 19:39:06
I get a lot of these as I use spent hops on my allotment. I have used a few for general rubbish, but have put most of them on freecycle and people have taken them for various uses, including collecting leaves. I take the plastic liners out and use them as bin bags.
Title: Re: Old hop sacks: possible uses of
Post by: electric landlady on November 06, 2008, 18:45:28
Thanks Caroline

Leaf collection sounds like a really good use, and probably the way forward!
Title: Re: Old hop sacks: possible uses of
Post by: star on November 07, 2008, 13:05:27
They can be used as backings for rag rugs as well, as long as they are stitched well at the edges :D


Allotment forum?............what allotment forum? ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Old hop sacks: possible uses of
Post by: Alexihen on December 26, 2008, 19:22:01
You can peg them out on the ground with old camping pegs or bent wire, under areas you want to remain weedfree, like paths.  The woven material means water will disappear, but the weeds won't grow through.  We used to get giant - truly huge - old fertiliser sacks from the local farmer, split open they were about the size of a small living room! and use them under all our gravelled areas at home.  The only places we had to weed were round the edges - perfect and free.