A Small Improvement
Most of the changes we make in the garden are quiet ones.
They aren’t dramatic upgrades or total overhauls. More often, they’re small adjustments like a new seed starting soil, or a small shift in layout. Something that makes things a little better. Five percent better. Ten percent better. Not perfect, but better.
We made one small, but significant change to our field last year and it makes things better in a way that feels good. Here’s why.
Over the years, I’ve used a range of different support options for sweet peas, and they worked as intended. What drives me around the bend, however, is what happens at the end of the season. As plastic and nylon age and break down, they leave behind microplastics that stay in the soil long after the plants are gone and often enter the water system. I wanted to move away from that, especially as the farm was expanding.
The search for a material that felt more aligned with my commitment to sustainability led to jute, which is widely used across Europe in gardens and farm situations, but surprisingly difficult to find in the states in useful dimensions for sweet peas.
I was able to find a workable, but not exactly right source for it and trialed it across 70 rows last season, after which I was pretty happy. It was strong, held up to storms and wind, lasted through the very long stretch of seed collection, and in my opinion was more aesthetically pleasing than a whole mess of plastic. So the obvious next step was to see if we could (a) get it in better dimensions and (b) make it more accessible to farms and gardeners who would like access.
The Exciting Part
We were able to manufacture jute trellis in two sizes, specifically for sweet peas.
8 ft tall × 10 ft long for home gardens and smaller planting areas
8 ft tall × 50 ft long for longer rows, larger gardens, and small farms
It has the same 6 inch weave you’re used to in your plastic or nylon trellis options, and it can be installed with simple stakes or posts. I use jute twine to attach mine.
Availability
The jute trellis is available for preorder now, with shipping planned for mid to late April, in time for sweet peas to begin climbing.
This trellis option exists because I wanted it for this farm, and thought you might too. It’s not a gimmick. It’s a promise. To keep trying to make our footprint smaller, our seed crop more sustainable, and our little corner of the planet a little bit more beautiful.
Not a Big Statement - Just a Better One
Jute trellis isn’t going to solve sustainability for farming or gardening. It’s one small improvement. An attempt to do the same work a little more thoughtfully. Which for me, is the only way we work our way closer to perfect.
Consider this your invitation to join me.
Wholesale pricing is available for bulk orders and retail shops. Please be in touch.
