Benefits of Wool
Although wool has been used for tens of thousands of years, wool is a unique material that hasn't been replicated by modern technology. It's properties vary greatly and in many different, useful areas.
WHY IS REPLACING PEAT MOSS SO IMPORTANT?
Peat moss has a long history in gardening. It's used extensively in soil mixes, outdoor and indoor gardening. Its main function is to retain water for plants. What's seen as a benefit to plants is actually a big problem for the environment. Even sustainably harvested peat-moss is not a long term solution. Peat moss grows 1mm a year, far less than is needed for the industry. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (ICUN):
- Peatlands are a type of wetland which are critical for preventing and mitigating the effects of climate change, preserving biodiversity, minimising flood risk, and ensuring safe drinking water.
- Peatlands are the largest natural terrestrial carbon store. They store more carbon than all other vegetation types in the world combined.
- Damaged peatlands are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for almost 5% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Peatland restoration can reduce emissions significantly.
- Countries should include peatland conservation and restoration in their commitments to international agreements, including the Paris Agreement on climate change.
- Worldwide, the remaining area of near natural peatland (over 3 million km2) sequesters 0.37 gigatonnes of CO2 a year . Peat soils contain more than 600 gigatonnes of carbon which represents up to 44% of all soil carbon , and exceeds the carbon stored in all other vegetation types including the world’s forests.
source: https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-brief/peatlands-and-climate-change
HOW IS WOOL BETTER THAN PEAT?
Wool is harvested annually and most sheep will grow well over 3 cm of wool annually. If you have ever lifted a wet wool sweater out of the laundry, you'll have an idea of how much water wool absorbs.
HOW DOES WOOL COMPARE TO MANURE?
Wool is an amazing fibre. It has a lab tested NPK of 10.54-0.06-3.64 . It's high nitrogen content means it has a lot of potency but because of the time it takes to break down it is less damaging to plants. Pellets begin breaking down in the soil in 2-3 months depending on the conditions. The long breakdown time provides a sustained nitrogen source for plants to thrive that can be seen from one season to the next. Manure breaks down much faster and provides a quick nitrogen boost but doesn't sustain it.
LAB ANALYSIS OF WOOL PELLETS:
Done by SGS Labs of Guelph.
Some interesting international studies and reports about wool, it's properties, uses, benefits, and potential that the above information was sourced from.
C. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/5/1210
D. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956053X09000828?via%3Dihub