How to Spread Pine Straw

Spread pine straw over a growing area as mulch.

Gardeners searching for an effective and attractive mulch often choose pine straw, both for its affordability and easy application. Pine straw mulch is simply dry pine needles collected from pine trees. When you apply pine straw as a mulch around flowers, shrubs and vegetables, the pine straw will insulate the soil, prevent erosion and prevent weeds.

Things You'll Need

• Landscape fabric (optional)
• Scissors (optional)
• Pine straw

Instructions

1. Lay out the landscape fabric over the soil area if you desire. Placing landscape fabric onto the soil first will help to prevent weeds, but doing so is optional. Cut the landscape fabric to fit the ground area, making holes for plants with the scissors.

2. Scatter the pine straw over the soil by grasping handfuls and shaking it lightly over the area. Do not dump the pine straw and then spread it because the finished result will appear uneven and unattractive. For best results, you must shake the pine straw over the soil carefully by hand. Continue until you have a three-inch-deep even layer of pine straw over the entire area.

3. Replenish the pine straw annually to keep it at least three inches thick at all times. This will provide the best erosion and weed control.

References

• All About Lawns: The Versatility of Using Pine Straw in Your Yard