Der Schafprofi

07:13 Aug 25, 2014 

Thanks. This, too, will pass.

17:22 Aug 24, 2014 

Sorry, I've now inserted a smiley face in my last comment :-)

15:57 Aug 24, 2014 

Did I touch a nerve? Not intentional, believe me. Gardenwool could be interpreted as something unrelated to wool unless the prospective, new customer understands it immediately. I know that carding remnants are wool, but wool mats as a gardening helpers are not yet universally recognized. The burlap sack is once more popular as frost protection for roses and other sensitive shrubs after years of neglect.

15:48 Aug 24, 2014 

I don't see the connection between the length of time they've been on the market and dispensing with basic rules of English style :-) And carding remnants ARE wool.

15:29 Aug 24, 2014 

I beg to differ in this case, as wool mats are relatively 'new' on the market, although carding remnants have been used for ages. I agree with you on 99% of cases, and never use repetition in my literary translations unless it's an intentional tactic.

15:25 Aug 24, 2014 

The German headline has to explain the meaning of the English words "garden" and "wool". This is obviously unnecessary in the translation.
Any solution that begins with Gardenwool and also includes "garden" and/or "wool" introduces repetition, which is OK in other languages but stylistically unacceptable in English.

15:21 Aug 24, 2014 

The sheets of stuff I use are some kind of inert fibre - not quite sure what- it lets water through, but not weeds (the only PVC we have is the garden bucket). At least a lot better than a double dose of Roundup :-) Our garden is currently suffering from some kind of rust (Malvenrost) on the hollyhocks and cranesbills and a plague of red lily beetles - nothing meditative about getting rid of things like that - it is outright warfare, night sorties with a torch and tweezers!

15:10 Aug 24, 2014 

and fellow gardener! Wool is an organic material, and unless it's treated with something nonorganic, weeds will love to bore their pointy little heads through it. Since I use only organic materials, weeding is part of my job - I like the meditative quality. There are PVC-free tarps to work with, but I only use them for places where aboslutely NOTHING is supposed to grow (walkways).

15:06 Aug 24, 2014 

If we had more than enough, I would gladly send some, but all we "harvest" goes into my thermal composter.

14:32 Aug 24, 2014 

@ Yorkshireman: can you send us some?!

14:04 Aug 24, 2014 

The fluff from the sieve of a tumbler drier is an excellent addition to compost - makes it hold a lot more water, and slugs don't like it either.

13:55 Aug 24, 2014 

Mats are good for stopping weed growth, too - I usually dig in some compost and put down a layer of black material at the end of autumn (fall) and then punch holes in it for planting seedlings in the spring. Also use it for a weed-proofing random stone/gravel paths - layer of sand - layer of fabric and then stones/gravel on top.

13:16 Aug 24, 2014 

No one covers their entire garden, ony plants that are frost-sensitive are wrapped or covered before the first frost. Just thought I'd mention that.