Anyone use pine straw as mulch?

[happygardener]

How long does the pine needles last in the veggie garden? I am seriously thinking about using pine next year.

[Paquebot]

Never purchased actual pine straw but have used mixed mulches with white pine needles and shredded leaves. The needles are the last thing to disappear. Pure pine straw would last longer due to so little of it actually in contact with the soil. If soil bacteria can't get at it, it's going to take a much longer time to break down than similar non-woody mulches.

Martin

[KSALguy]

they use pine straw down here for everything, generally it last about a season or so for the pretty flower beds, i havent tried it in the garden yet, but i am sure it would befine,

[Bearfootfarm]

I don't think I'd want them in a garden
They take a LONG time to break down compared to most mulches.

I love them for more permanent locations like around trees and shrubs

If you use a tiller, you'll find they will wrap around the tines

[Paquebot]

Interesting that they may be a problem with certain tillers. The primary pine needles which I use are white pine and that's the most common type used in the South. Anything that I could find with white pine was snatched up last fall and eventually was spread early this spring, where I planned to plant potatoes, and plowed under. Some went under in big chunks as they had been bagged. A week or so later, Mantis tiller chewed them up as if they were bits of glass. May have been different had they been wet since it never rained between plowing and tilling.

Martin

[happygardener]

Thanks for the replies.

[Belfrybat]

I use pine needles both around the fruit trees, blackberries and as mulch in the garden where it can sit for a year. I've found it breaks down slowly when used as mulch, but once I turn it under it composts quickly. Really like them as my soil is alkaline and the pine needles helps are somewhat acidic. Blackberries love them!

[prairiebird]

I don't like them in my veggie garden where I get down n dirty with my hands in da dirt. When they dry they STAB your hands! Won't use again in veggie garden.

[Peggy]

i read that pine needles around strawberries helps to make the strawberries taste better. I have tried it in the one strawberry bed this year.

[tomakers]

I don't know about "pine straw" but I've used white pine needles in my garden for years with no problems. They MAY take a little longer to break down, but I don't see that as a bad thing for mulch. Never had a problem with the rototiller as far as pine needles, but tall grass and weeds will certainly clog them up(so don't let them get tall).
JMO,
Tom