How to Mulch a Garden with Pine Needles

No matter where you may live, you can always find someone who loves the pine tree on their property but can't stand the needles. Pine trees naturally drop a percentage of their needles as fall fades into winter. When those needles fall on a lovely green lawn, the acidity of the decaying needles puts patches and holes in your beautiful turf. That is how pine needles get a bad name. Put your pine needles in their place! Pine needles make fantastic mulch in certain parts of your garden.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pine Needles

1. Choose areas where the plants will appreciate the acidity of the needles as they decay. Azaleas, rhododendron, chrysanthemum and roses all appreciate acid soil. Onions, garlic, mint and tomatoes are just a few of the plants in your vegetable and herb garden which would also enjoy the acid boost.
2. Each type of mulch provides it's own unique appearance as it ages. Pine needles lend a rich brown surface with fine texture to the area that they cover.
3. Another benefit of pine needles as mulch is that they shade the soil in the summertime, keeping it cooler than the ambient temperature. This also prevents moisture from evaporating before the roots have a chance to drink their fill. In colder months, a layer of pine needles acts as a blanket to protect the tender root system of the plant.
4. The final (and my favorite) benefit of pine needle mulch has to do with weeds. Almost any mulch will cut down on the number of weeds in your garden. With pine needle mulch, the few weeds that manage to survive are incredibly easy to pull, roots and all.
5. Start with a 3 inch layer of needles. Pine needles break down slowly, so this initial layer should last 3 to 5 months before you need to think about adding more.