Pine Straw Installation And Maintenance
Kellett Landscaping services recognizes the importance of doing things the way you would, if only you had the time and expertise. We also recognize that your lawn, trees, and shrubs represent the most valuable portion of your landscape and that a well maintained lawn and landscape adds value to your home in the Upstate. Let our professional lawncare experts work for you and provide you with the highest quality service and affordable landscaping prices.
Pine Straw
When applied correctly, pine straw prevents evaporation of water from the soil, reduces the growth of weeds, and helps to prevent soil compaction and erosion. Pine straw also protects plants from freezing conditions, helping keep the soil around the plants at a stable temperature. This is important for newer plants and those with shallow root systems. Plus, pine straw will improve the soil structure as it decays.
The main goal is to prevent weed growth and enhance the beauty of your yard with ground cover. We apply pine straw at least 3 inches thick. You may find recommendations for application up to 6 inches thick, but that is usually not necessary, especially in shady locations such as areas beneath trees. This decorative approach is a nice technique to use for lining walkways and seating areas that aren't paved.
Acid loving plants really like pine straw.
As pine needles break down, they slightly acidify the soil, making them an excellent landscaping mulch for acid-loving plants, trees and shrubs such as camellias, azaleas, hydrangeas, fuchsias, gardenias, ferns, dogwoods, magnolias, holly and evergreens.
Pine Straw Maintenance
Most professionals recommend an annual application of pine straw. However, if you're only using it for decorative purposes, you can apply it about twice a year to keep the landscape looking fresh. Maintaining the look of your pine straw is simple. All it take is a little raking or use of a leaf blower to move them back in place. We keep pine straw beds looking neat and tidy with our standard landscape maintenance plans.
Where are good places to use pine straw?
1. Anywhere you want to limit weed growth.
Pine needles are great for choking out weeds around shrubs and trees.
2. Does pine straw require any special care?
Not at all pine needels simply need to be kept tidy and they pretty much to the rest on their own.
3. How often should I have pine straw put doen in my yard?
Once a year is fine for most applications of pine straw.
4. Can pine needles harm plants?
Pine needles have a pH between 3.2 and 3.8, which means that they can turn the soil slightly more acidic if you work them into the soil as compost. However, if they merely fall from a tree and rest on top of the soil, they have almost no effect on the plant roots growing below the soil's surface.
