2006-07-09 11:23:28 · 5 answers · asked by dderat 4 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Pine needles are an excellent mulch for strawberry plants. I used to grow my own strawberries and always used pine needles and I had big beautiful berries.
2006-07-09 12:18:37 · answer #1 · answered by catalain1955 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't agree with the first answer. I had a friend who would rake up bushels of pine needles every year and use them on his vegetable gardens, and rototill them under in the fall. He did this for 40 or 50 years and he had a wonderful garden. I would use them too if I could get any. The reason there is dirt under pines is not the needles but the fact that they have shallow roots and they are so dense that they shut out the light--both of these will prevent grass from growing. Go ahead and use the needles. They make a good mulch that does not mat down like leaves and straw and they don't carry weed seeds like straw can.
2006-07-09 18:42:19 · answer #2 · answered by AnOrdinaryGuy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strawberries like slightly acidic soil so pine needles would be great. Another natural way to acidify the soil is to use oak tree leaves. And both work well as a mulch. Enjoy your berries!!!
2006-07-10 08:18:48 · answer #3 · answered by Valkyrie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pine needles are acidic and will kill most plants. Look under a pine tree. What do you see? Dirt.
2006-07-09 18:31:42 · answer #4 · answered by nicky dubya 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dad always used wood shavings and had delicious strawberries!
2006-07-09 18:52:35 · answer #5 · answered by jayjay 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋