How to Lay Pine Straw
Lay pine straw in your flower beds and around your trees for your landscaping needs. Protect the roots of your plants easily from extreme hot and cold temperatures, erosion and moisture loss. Pine straw does not wash away. It kills and controls weed growth. It is easy to carry and affordable. It is considered an environmentally friendly product because it is produced naturally. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Calculate how much pine straw you will need and where you will place it. To cover a 10-by-10 foot area you need one 40-lb. bale. Some bale sizes may vary depending on your supplier; ask about specific coverage amounts.
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Choose a type of straw if you have different varieties available to you. The Texas Department of Agriculture suggests the Loblolly species needle as "...easy to apply and shape...optimum for allowing soil to breathe well while allowing excellent water filtration."
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Roll or carry the pine straw bales close to the area where it will be installed. Cut the string around the bale with scissors and the bale will break into pieces.
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Pull apart pieces from the bale, collecting a handful of straw in each hand. Wear gloves to protect your hands.
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Shake the straw out of your hands and scatter it loosely in your plant beds. Avoid directly placing the pine straw against plants or trees, creating a small circle of space free of straw to allow air circulation and prevent disease.
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Fling the straw until you have layered 3 inches of coverage. Allow it to lie naturally, as it would if it had fallen from a pine tree; it should appear loose and fluffy.
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Water the pine straw down with your water hose after you have finished installing it; this will create a mat of straw. The pine straw will not float away like other types of mulch.
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Tips & Warnings
If you can not find a local supplier of pine straw there are several sources available online that will deliver it to you. New applications require 3 inches of coverage which will settle down to 1.5 inches over time. Each year you should add an additional inch of pine straw in spring and before the first frost in fall.
Pine straw bales can weigh up to 50 lbs. Take appropriate care when lifting to avoid injury.
