Pine straw is a natural landscaping mulch (garden mulch) that is attractive, decomposes slowly, resists compaction, and is easy to work with.
Pine Straw is often available commercially or is free if you have pine trees on your property.
Q: Why use Pine Straw as a natural landscaping mulch?
A:
Pine Straw's auburn like color gives a beautiful clean decorative covering for landscape and gardens as well as acts as a weed retardant. Pine Straw is an organic landscaping mulch (garden mulch) that retains moisture, decomposes and is high in nitrogen. As pine needles break down they acidify the soil making an excellent landscaping mulch for acid-loving plants, trees & shrubs (such as camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas, fuchsias, gardenias, ferns, dogwoods, magnolias, holly and all evergreens). Pine straw adheres well to slopes and will help your garden or landscape resist erosion acting as a blanket shielding feeder roots of plants from harsh weather. Pine straw helps to keep your garden insect and rodent free. TOP
Q: How to Apply Pine Straw as your organic landscaping mulch? A:
Pine Straw application is best done by hand, two to three inches deep. Because Pine Straw helps retain soil moisture below, do not cover the base of the plant. Extend the pine straw to the drip line of the plant, keeping it two to three inches away from plant base and the trunks of trees and shrubs, this will also discourage rodents from feasting on the bark.
Pine straw is perfect to use in areas such as: home and commercial landscapes, foundation plantings, flower beds, natural areas, pathways and steep banks. TOP
Q: How Much Pine Straw do I Use? A:
Pine needles are sold in bales like straw, each bale weighs approximately 25 pounds:
Custom Pine Straw has highly compressed bales that are 13x14x28 inches and contains 3 cubic feet of pine straw.
Each bale will cover 60 square feet when applying the recommended 2-3". TOP
Q: Why are pine needles a hot new commodity? A:
Landscapers prefer pine straw mulch to bark nuggets or wood chips, because pine straw doesn't wash
away as easily. It's a nice color, and it will eventually
break down, providing extra
organic matter for the soil.
Builders like to spread pine straw
at building sites to prevent the soil
from being disturbed too much by
their heavy equipment.
this answer courtesy of: USDA.gov TOP
