Using sheep wool for weed control - Ask Extension
I received a large tup of sheep wool from a friend. It is the stuff that wasn't sold for spinning because it has a good bit of poop & mud embedde...
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Using sheep wool for weed control #928128
Asked April 12, 2026, 8:51 AM EDT
I received a large tup of sheep wool from a friend. It is the stuff that wasn't sold for spinning because it has a good bit of poop & mud embedded. I was planning on using it to mulch my tomatoes. My husband is concerned about e coli contamination from it. Should we be concerned about that?
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Good morning Janet,
Anytime you use raw manure as a nutrient for your vegetables, you do open up the possibility of various diseases, not to mention that as that manure decomposes it generates a lot of heat that can literally burn your plants. That is why any manure that is to be used around plants of all kinds needs to be composted first. You may not have a lot of manure in the wool, but I don’t advise using it until it can be composted with a lot of green (grass clippings, weeds that are not in seed) to help compost it all down.
