jute is a type of plant used to make burlap fabric. it is one of the cheapest fabrics on earth. coffee travels thousands of miles around the world held in burlap “jute bags”, and then the empty sacks have many uses. one use is weed protection in landscaping, because moisture can get through to the roots, but plants have a hard time growing through it.
here, i have them between tomato plants which will not only keep weeds from growing, but also help keep the tomatoes from touching the soil which will stave off fungus (blight) and rotting.