This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: mulch

> Greetings:  I read somewhere that pine needles can be used as mulch;  now
> since our property has many many pine trees and we gather trillions of pine
> needles every year, we have a good supply of same; I'd love to use them as
> mulch, but am afraid their acidity (?) will leach into the soil;
> 
> what says the list?

Yes, it will leach into the soil, but only if applied in significant amounts
and regularly.  We have a clematis growing out of a patch of rhododendrons,
and despite the clematis's preference for alkaline soils, we still put a
layer of pine needles under it with no ill effects.

Under acid-loving plants it is ideal.  This includes most of the rhodies,
pieris, and other Ericaceous plants, as well as the acid-loving perennials
like balloon flower.

I also spread fir needles under my hostas -- they don't like to crawl over
the rough surface.

So the general answer is that it will amend the soil slowly over time.

Chris
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Follow-Ups: References:
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index