# Pine Needles or Mulch, Which do You Prefer



## BakerGreenLawnMaker (Mar 13, 2018)

Im curious, which one you prefer around your flower beds or around trees and shrubs.

I prefer the pine needles over the mulch, for a few reasons; one, where I live I have several large trees and during the fall months I have a ton of leaves to rake up, so with the pine needles it seems a little easier getting the leaves up. Two, I think the pine needles add a bit more elegance to the landscapes as opposed to mulch, personal preference I suppose. And thirdly, when trimming it seems easier to trim around the pine needles as they don't tear up the string as bad.

What are y'all's thoughts?


----------



## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

I'm about 90-minutes north of ya and pine needles is ALL some of my neighbors use!

(The paper companies that contracted with Duke Power to clear the forests along the Catawba River system back in the 70's were "supposed" to re-plant similar hardwood species but, sigh, no one was looking and now we have a veritable sea of white, loblolly and Virginia pines, far as the eye can see so, needles are plentiful.). I haven't gotten there yet as pine needles always mean chiggers to me, ha-ha!

Here's a question: *DO "ACIDIC COMPONENTS" REMAIN IN FALLEN, DRIED OUT, BROWN PINE NEEDLES?
*
Reason I ask is: A) I always spend one pretty much full day every February hand raking all the pine needles up, before my first pre-em app. (Wanna feel and look like Popeye? Hand rake an acre of hills filled with matted pine needles! :lol: ; and, I am always fighting overly acidic soil so, I assume getting up the majority of pine needles and judicious drops of lime are doing right by the tall fine fescue (but)

B) a passing neighbor opined (no pun intended  I am "wasting my time" as the acid is out of dried up old pine needles.

I asked what actual science they were basing that on and they went on their way in an amusing huff.

But, it got me to thinking I am not basing my assumptions on any actual science, myself! :shock:

So, I am trying to ascertain: *DO Significant amounts of "ACIDIC COMPONENTS" REMAIN IN FALLEN, DRIED OUT, BROWN PINE NEEDLES?*


----------



## AcworthOkie (Feb 23, 2020)

BakerGreenLawnMaker said:


> Im curious, which one you prefer around your flower beds or around trees and shrubs.
> 
> I prefer the pine needles over the mulch, for a few reasons; one, where I live I have several large trees and during the fall months I have a ton of leaves to rake up, so with the pine needles it seems a little easier getting the leaves up. Two, I think the pine needles add a bit more elegance to the landscapes as opposed to mulch, personal preference I suppose. And thirdly, when trimming it seems easier to trim around the pine needles as they don't tear up the string as bad.
> 
> What are y'all's thoughts?


I switched to pine needles last year and glad I did! Some of my beds have a slope and was tired of fighting the mulch that would wash into my yard after raining. The pine needles stay put!


----------



## Gilley11 (Nov 3, 2019)

Mulch 100%. I prefer the look


----------

