This garden myth refuses to go away! While fresh pine needles are very acidic, dried pine needles have a much more neutral pH. That, added to the fact that they take so long to break down, means they have little effect on soil pH. This is a FREE mulch for a lot of people. It’s also a long lasting mulch that’s perfect for any garden bed. Make sure you are using dried needles from healthy trees.
How did this myth get started? A few factors. Not many plants grow well around pine trees because they have very shallow, fibrous root systems that compete for space and nutrients. Also, pine trees prefer growing in pretty acidic soil. Soil that some plants may not prefer.
Don’t be food by this debunked myth!
#gardening #gardentips #organicgardening #mulch #gardenmyths #homegarden #gardenmulch
16 Comments
https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/myth-vs-reality-what’s-truth-behind-some-common-gardening-practices
Are they even acidic? Especially after they dried I'd assume not
Amazing idea I’m going to try that for my garden
They do add acidity, slowly, as they break down, but many plants like it and it keeps the roots cool.
Most soils aren’t acidic enough for most plants. So I wouldn’t worry. It takes a lot of effort to acidify soil.
I do use pine needles as mulch, a light covering when sowing seeds in order to protect them a bit from birds, etc. Rhododendrons, Azalea and many woodland garden plants…… I live in an alpine forest and value the abundance for certain applications. As late Autumn approaches I blanket Roses, many shrubs, Bamboos and young transplants with a foot – plus of needles for extra insulation from six months of Winter, very deep snow, ice, etc. As Spring rolls around I begin peeling back the Pine needle "blanket" for the emergence of Spring. I call it The Reveal……
Pine needle duff is a gift to high altitude gardening….
Note;
Avoid all pine needles near Lilac as the acid compromises plant development and blooming…..
Wtf I have pine needles in the house I just got and there are no one tree's even close. Wtf
Snakes like pine needles. Less so with mulch.
I love pine straw… but it's hard as heck to manage around small seedlings. Looking at your bed makes me think I need to thicken our layer.
Maybe if they're green? God knows why you'd harvest pine leaves from a tree, though.
This is funny I was recently told by a like 10th gen farmer to add some of his pine needles after they fall into my garden as mulch… this looks so good now I can’t wait for them to fall.
Oh bother… such a myth! Good short!
So clean
If you like snakes. It’s great.
What about chiggers? I was dissuaded to use it because I hear pine needles house them and they bite😅
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