Farm Plastic Supply 100% Biodegradable Erosion Control Blanket - Straw/Coconut Straw Garden and Landscape Cover, Straw Blanket, Erosion Control

I needed to tame a freshly graded slope behind my workshop, and the straw/coconut erosion control blanket turned out to be the right kind of simple. It’s a full-size 8' x 112.5' roll, so you get 900 square feet of coverage, and it’s built from a 70/30 blend of wheat straw and coconut fiber. The entire assembly—including the brown netting—biodegrades, which means there’s nothing to pull up later. For temporary stabilization and seed establishment, that combination checks a lot of boxes.

Build and materials

This blanket is a straightforward, single-net design: straw and coir fibers stitched together and held by a brown poly net that breaks down in roughly 90 days. The fiber blend is smart. Straw offers good coverage and moisture retention, while coconut fiber adds structure and heft. That extra density helps it stay put on slopes and reduces the number of staples needed compared to some pure-straw mats I’ve used. The roll I unwrapped had a consistent fill with no thin spots, and the stitching was even from edge to edge.

The 100% biodegradable net is the standout feature. Many erosion control blankets still use photodegradable plastics that linger. Here, everything goes back to the earth within a season. If you’re stabilizing a site where post-project cleanup is difficult or where wildlife entanglement is a concern, this matters.

Installation experience

I installed two rolls on a pair of areas: a gently sloped (3:1) backyard bank and the sides of a shallow drainage swale that sees intermittent flow after storms. Prep was standard: grade smooth, remove clods and debris, seed and amend per soil test, then roll out the blanket with the net side up.

A few notes from the field:
- One person can carry and place the roll, but it’s easier with two when you’re aligning long runs.
- The blanket unrolls cleanly and lies flat with a little encouragement. I did encounter occasional tangles where the net snagged an edge while unrolling—nothing a quick shake and a few staples couldn’t fix.
- Cutting is easy with a sharp pair of household scissors or a utility knife. I prefer a knife for long rip cuts to avoid lifting fibers.
- Overlap seams 4–6 inches downslope and 12 inches end-to-end. On the steeper part of my slope, I bumped those overlaps a bit more to be safe.
- At the top of slope, I dug a shallow check slot (about 6 inches deep), tucked the blanket, and stapled on 6–8 inch centers before backfilling. This is the most common failure point on erosion blankets; don’t skip it.

Stapling density will depend on your site. On the backyard slope, I averaged about 1.5–2 staples per square yard, bumping to 3–4 per square yard near seams, transitions, and curves. In the swale, I ran a denser pattern along the flow line. Despite some gusty wind during installation, the blanket settled nicely and didn’t flap or creep overnight.

Performance and germination

The job of a temporary blanket is simple: keep seed and soil in place, regulate moisture and temperature at the surface, and let vegetation poke through. This one did just that.

We had a solid early-spring rain event within a week of installation. The blanket didn’t shear or “balloon” on the slope, and I saw no rilling beneath it when I checked after the storm. In the swale, the flow slowed and filtered through the fibers without lifting the edges; the overlap and staple pattern held.

Germination was on schedule. With regular irrigation (a few short cycles per day the first week), I saw grass coming through in about 10–12 days. By the two-week mark, it looked like a green fuzz across most of the slope. The fibers create a porous canopy that shades the seedbed and helps retain surface moisture without smothering seedlings. As the grass thickened, the blanket started to visually disappear, breaking up the glare of bare soil and making the whole area look tidy during establishment.

Durability and biodegradation

For a temporary product, durability is about the window it gives you to establish vegetation before the net lets go. The biodegradable net on this blanket is designed to start breaking down around the 90-day mark, which aligns with a typical cool-season grass establishment schedule in temperate climates. On my site, the net began to soften and lose tensile strength around two months in, and by the end of the third month, it was fragmenting as expected. The fibers persist a bit longer, which is helpful as the canopy closes.

If you’re working in a hot, wet climate where decomposition races ahead—or with slow-growing species or late-season seeding—consider whether you need a longer-lived blanket. For steeper slopes, high-traffic areas, or prolonged high-flow channels, a double-net or heavier coir mat might be the better choice. But for general lawn areas, roadside shoulders, and mild swales, this blanket hits the sweet spot between protection and timely breakdown.

Where it fits best

• Residential and light commercial slopes up to about 3:1
• Roadside shoulders and embankments where quick turf establishment is the goal
• Swales and low-flow channels with intermittent water
• Riverbank shoulders and culvert inlets/outfalls where a temporary measure is acceptable until vegetation roots in
• Any project where post-installation removal would be impractical and full biodegradability is preferred

Limitations to consider

• Very steep slopes or concentrated high-velocity flows may overwhelm a single-net blanket. For those scenarios, step up to a heavier coir product or turf reinforcement mat.
• The net’s relatively quick degradation schedule is great for sustainability, but if your grass needs a longer nurse period—or you seed late and face a slow start—you may want a product with a 6–12 month functional life.
• Like most blankets, edges can fray if cut aggressively across the stitch lines. Use a sharp blade and staple right along cut edges to keep things tidy.
• The net can occasionally catch or tangle as you unroll. Keep a second set of hands nearby when working on uneven terrain.

Practical tips for clean results

• Prepare the surface carefully. A smooth, firm seedbed will do more for performance than any blanket.
• Seed and amend as you normally would; the blanket isn’t a substitute for soil health.
• Install with the net side up and the fibers touching soil.
• Always use a check slot at the top of slope. It’s the best insurance you can buy with a shovel.
• Increase staples at seams, curves, and transitions. Gravity and water both target those spots.
• Water lightly and frequently at first to avoid floating seed under the blanket. Transition to deeper, less frequent watering as seedlings establish.
• Delay mowing until the grass hits recommended height for your species and is well rooted. Keep mower height high on the first couple passes.

Value

Coverage per roll is generous at 900 square feet, which cuts down on seams and speeds installation. The added heft from the coconut fiber means you can often use fewer staples than you would with a lighter, pure-straw blanket. Between the straightforward handling, consistent fiber density, and fully biodegradable construction, it’s a solid value for temporary erosion control and turf establishment.

Bottom line

I like this erosion control blanket because it nails the basics: it’s easy to stage and cut, it stays where you put it, it protects the seedbed through the vulnerable early weeks, and it quietly disappears once the vegetation takes over. The straw/coconut blend adds stability without complicating installation, and the 100% biodegradable design means you’re not coming back later to collect fragments.

I would recommend this tool for homeowners, landscapers, and contractors who need reliable, temporary erosion protection on moderate slopes and low-flow channels, particularly where sustainability and cleanup are priorities. If your site demands long-term reinforcement or faces sustained high velocities, choose a heavier-duty mat. For everything else, this blanket is an efficient, user-friendly solution that helps grass get from seed to stand with minimal fuss.