Why are there several sheep herds in the middle of Berlin, a fact that only a few people know about? The answer is, they serve as living lawnmowers. Their wool is not what they are kept for, the fibers are short and coarse and don’t meet the standards for textile production. But it doesn’t need to end up as a waste product. Wool has another quality that isn´t commonly known: It is rich in nutrients and fully compostable, making it a perfect plant fertilizer. In the case of Tempelhofer Feld it is therefore processed into wool pellets which are ready to use as fertilizer and water retention for potted plants. But this concept could be taken even further. Why shouldn’t it also become the pot? ‘Planting wool’ is a biodegradable alternative to plastic plant pots made from short length wool, a wasted byproduct of wool production in general. It adds nutrients and water retention directly to the soil within. After use it can be planted back into nature.
