Re: CULT: Pine needles

Griff, et al:

I use Ponderosa pine needles on everything, year 'round, EXCEPT TBs & 
SDBs -- they only get the modest amount that blows into their beds from 
surrounding trees. I do use them around the SIs & my "new" re-bloomers 
(TBs & SDBs) but just 1 1/2"-2" worth, not quite touching the leaves, & 
I pull this back or completely out come early May or so. On other 
perennials, I use 2" or a bit more. 

The needles do exhude a chemical (don't ask me just what) that retards 
germination of (most) seeds & helps keep weeds down but also prevents 
self-seeding of things I'd like to do so -- it's a trade-off. I keep the 
garden mulched year 'round to help conserve moisture during the dry 
summer & even out temps during the winter. 

I've never noticed any retarded growth or flowering of irises or any 
other *plants* related to using pine needles as a mulch -- reason I 
don't use them on the bearded irises is that (a) they've done just fine 
without my piling them on for many years, including some really nasty 
winters & (b) if I don't get any deeply piled needles *out* of the iris 
beds very early in the spring our late, great & wet snows & fluctuating 
temps create a soggy mess that leads to the only rhizome rot I've (so 
far) had trouble with.

BTW, it took me ages when first reading garden mags, etc., to figure out 
what in the heck "pine straw" was -- I really expected it be some kind 
of exotic new material...

Marte in the mtns	Zone 4/Sunset 1  Colorado
 
------------------------
Albert F. Limberg wrote:
> 
> J. Griffin Crump wrote:
> >
> > One of my hunting buddies and I raked up 10 big bags of white pine
> > needles from his yard today. I want to use them as mulch to try to
> > prevent my newly-planted TBs from heaving this winter. Does anyone  
> > who has used pine needles have any advice to give? (When to apply,  
> > how thick, etc.) All input appreciated.
> >
> > Griff Crump, along the tidal Potomac near Mount Vernon, VA
> > jgcrump@erols.com
> 
> I have had some very bad results from the use of pine straw.  Whatever
> elutes out of the needles during the winter seems to stunt the growth 
> of the iris the following year.  I have had a bed under a Monterey    
> Pine for several years and only when the pine was removed did the bed 
> begin to thrive.
> 
> Something seems to affect the soil chemistry to retard growth and
> blossoming.
> 
> I could have misassigned cause and effect here but that's my          
> experience with pine straw.
> 
> Al Limberg
> Concord, CA
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