Chris Zelenka wrote:I used several 100% cotton white sheets from the local thrift store when removing a huge area of grass with wood chips. I recognize it may contain some less than desirable compounds due to it not being organic cotton so I did stick to areas that were going to be paths and the places that I was just loading a bunch of chips and didnt plan to plant until future seasons. I kept to cardboard, straw, compost in the areas I planted into right away. It did work very well in suppressing the grass and weeds from coming up and now after a couple of years I have dug in a few areas that I used the sheets and they are gone.
That is an important distinction...how much the cotton has been washed. I don't know of any research but have to assume there is less residue the more an item is laundered? I have old rags I throw in the compost...it is only new non organic cotton straight from the mill with little processing that I would worry about...as in batting, loose fiber, spools of natural rug warp (what I was using), etc.
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