Hemp Twine & Plant Ties: Replacing Plastic in the Kitchen Garden
The average British kitchen garden contains more plastic than most gardeners realise. Twist ties, cable ties, plastic netting, synthetic garden wire — it accumulates season after season and ends up in landfill or, worse, shredded into microplastics in the compost heap. Hemp twine solves the problem simply and completely.
Why Hemp Twine Is Different from Other Natural Twines
Jute twine is the most widely sold "natural" alternative in UK garden centres, but it has a significant weakness: it rots quickly when wet, often failing mid-season on tomato or bean plants that depend on their ties for structural support. Sisal is more durable than jute but rough enough to damage soft stems if tied too tightly.
Hemp twine sits between the two. Its tensile strength is considerably higher than jute — hemp is the strongest natural plant fibre on earth — and it has a natural waxy coating from the plant's resin that gives it excellent resistance to moisture and UV degradation. A hemp tie applied in April will still be holding your climbing roses in October without rotting through. At the end of the season, simply cut it off and add it to the compost bin. It breaks down fully within one composting cycle.
Which Gauge for Which Job?
Hemp twine is sold in several thicknesses, and choosing the right one matters. As a general rule, use the lightest gauge that will do the job — overtying with thick twine on thin stems causes as much damage as using wire.
| Gauge | Best Used For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1mm (fine) | Seedling labels, soft herb stems, delicate climbers | Loops easily; use a figure-of-eight tie to avoid cutting into stems |
| 2mm (medium) | Tomatoes, sweet peas, dahlias, general plant ties | The most versatile option; keep a roll of this in the potting shed |
| 3 to 4mm (thick) | Espalier fruit trees, heavy climbing roses, fence training | Durable enough for multi-year use on woody plants |
| 6mm+ (rope) | Pergola netting, bean frames, pea netting supports | Fully biodegradable alternative to plastic netting |
Five Practical Uses in the Kitchen Garden
Tomato Training
Use 2mm hemp to tie cordon tomatoes to their canes every 20cm as they grow. The figure-of-eight knot creates a cushion between stem and cane. At season end, pull the whole lot off and compost without separating twine from plant material.
Sweet Pea Supports
Weave a network of 2mm hemp between hazel sticks or cane wigwams. Unlike plastic netting, hemp net supports can be cut down and composted at the end of the season along with the spent plants, saving considerable time at the end of summer.
Espalier and Fan Training
For training fruit trees against walls or fences, 3mm hemp tied in a figure-of-eight around the branch and wire provides excellent support without the risk of wire cutting into bark. Check and re-tie each spring as the branch thickens.
Pea and Bean Netting
Knotted hemp rope at 10cm intervals between two horizontal rails creates a fully biodegradable climbing frame for peas and French beans. At the end of the season, pull the whole structure — pea stalks, hemp, and all — directly onto the compost heap.
Plant Labels and Bunching
Fine 1mm hemp is ideal for tying bundles of cut herbs, garlic, or onions for drying in the potting shed. Unlike elastic bands, hemp will not snap or perish and can be tied in decorative knots if you are displaying bunches in the kitchen.
Winter Stem Protection
Loosely wound thick hemp rope around the stems of tender shrubs such as tree ferns or bananas provides lightweight frost protection. Unlike bubble wrap or fleece, it allows airflow that prevents fungal damage during mild, damp British winters.
The Plastic Comparison
Plastic twist ties, coated wire, and cable ties are cheap, but they are a silent problem in the garden. They do not break down, they tangle in rotavators and soil forks, and any fragment left in the compost will persist for decades. Hemp twine costs marginally more per metre than plastic alternatives but eliminates the disposal problem entirely. In a closed-loop garden where everything goes back to the soil, hemp is the only sensible option.
Verdict: A single 100m roll of 2mm hemp twine will cover the tying and training needs of most British kitchen gardens for a full season. It is one of the cheapest and most impactful swaps you can make to eliminate single-use plastic from your growing space. Check out hemp twine from our partners at Gardening Naturally