It is considered the fact Pine Straw mulch is a sustainable, renewable resource, it's so great and lightweight to work with pine needle and looks very attractive. Young seedlings can grow through pine needle, water can filter down through it, the ground can breathe and still pine straw still holds in moisture. It lasts much longer than other similar materials and pine needle won't be adrift away with the first steady rain.
In fall mulching with pine straw has an important part since temperatures in the late fall to wintertime months can change radically. The ground heaves as it freezes and thaws, forcing the root systems of many fragile plants up from the soil and exposing them to the elements. Virtually all plants are much healthier when they have a layer of pine needle mulch spread over their roots.
When mulching with pine straw you should wait until the ground is frosty or most frozen before you add the pine needle. Any earlier cover will futher mold and mildew to form on the surface. Generally, a 2- to 3-inch layer of pine needle mulch placed over the root area of a plant will provide a detectable difference in the plant's health. Established plants will show less stress and better growth. Just be sure to pull pine straw mulch an inch or two away from the stems of shrubs or from the trunks of trees. If pine needle mulch is piled up against trunks or stems, it can trap too much moisture and advance decay on the bark.
Many people make the mistake of using less reliable fall mulch such as hay in their garden. Hay is not a good alternative to pine straw since hay often carries seeds that will sooner or later sprout and cause weed problems in your garden bed in the spring. Pine straw comes from several different species of pine trees that drop their pine needles or ?straw? naturally through the year. Once the pine needle drops to the ground, it is cleaned and baled, without ever cutting down a single tree. Since it is produced naturally, pine straw sometimes is referred to as the "guilt-free" mulch. Each species' of pine straw will have its own unique characteristics, such as pine needle length, wax content and needle flexibility. The Loblolly species of pine straw, for instance, has a pine needle length ranging from about six to nine inches, making it simple to utilize and shape. Also, the needle size is optimum for allowing the soil to breathe well while allowing excellent water infiltration.
Ideally, garden mulch for the wintertime is added in the fall to protect against sudden and extreme temperature dips before plants have had a chance to fully harden. A few inches of pine straw mulch can provide a cushion of as much as 10 degrees above ambient air temperatures which is just enough to keep roots growing. And certainly, a top layer of pine needle mulch offers decorative appeal, devising the lawn to look cared for at a time when the lawn can look a little underwhelming. - 30228
In fall mulching with pine straw has an important part since temperatures in the late fall to wintertime months can change radically. The ground heaves as it freezes and thaws, forcing the root systems of many fragile plants up from the soil and exposing them to the elements. Virtually all plants are much healthier when they have a layer of pine needle mulch spread over their roots.
When mulching with pine straw you should wait until the ground is frosty or most frozen before you add the pine needle. Any earlier cover will futher mold and mildew to form on the surface. Generally, a 2- to 3-inch layer of pine needle mulch placed over the root area of a plant will provide a detectable difference in the plant's health. Established plants will show less stress and better growth. Just be sure to pull pine straw mulch an inch or two away from the stems of shrubs or from the trunks of trees. If pine needle mulch is piled up against trunks or stems, it can trap too much moisture and advance decay on the bark.
Many people make the mistake of using less reliable fall mulch such as hay in their garden. Hay is not a good alternative to pine straw since hay often carries seeds that will sooner or later sprout and cause weed problems in your garden bed in the spring. Pine straw comes from several different species of pine trees that drop their pine needles or ?straw? naturally through the year. Once the pine needle drops to the ground, it is cleaned and baled, without ever cutting down a single tree. Since it is produced naturally, pine straw sometimes is referred to as the "guilt-free" mulch. Each species' of pine straw will have its own unique characteristics, such as pine needle length, wax content and needle flexibility. The Loblolly species of pine straw, for instance, has a pine needle length ranging from about six to nine inches, making it simple to utilize and shape. Also, the needle size is optimum for allowing the soil to breathe well while allowing excellent water infiltration.
Ideally, garden mulch for the wintertime is added in the fall to protect against sudden and extreme temperature dips before plants have had a chance to fully harden. A few inches of pine straw mulch can provide a cushion of as much as 10 degrees above ambient air temperatures which is just enough to keep roots growing. And certainly, a top layer of pine needle mulch offers decorative appeal, devising the lawn to look cared for at a time when the lawn can look a little underwhelming. - 30228
About the Author:
Custom Pine Straw of Branford, Florida has been a wholesale vendor of quality pine straw products since 1997. Learn more at Custom Pine Straw
