Pine Straw Mulch

A mulch alternative for hot and dry climates

See how I use pine straw mulch in the Clever Shovel garden.

We all know we should use mulch in the garden. Mulch is the great regulator, keeping a variety of common garden issues in check. Things like:

• Soil moisture – mulch prevents the dry crust on the top, and keep the soil more evenly moist.

• Soil temperature - mulch keeps it cool by preventing direct sun exposure, and acts as a blanket to keep it warm when the temperature drops.

• Preventing weeds.

But not all mulch is created equal. My personal preference for mulching vegetables in Austin, zone 8B is pine straw mulch. Pine straw is just a fancy name for pine needles that have been bundled up into bales and sold commercially. I prefer pine straw mulch for vegetable gardens over traditional wood style mulches because air and water passes through the pine straw easier and faster.

In climates like Austin where every drop of rain counts, you don't want a barrier that prevents water from actually reaching the soil below. Wood mulches will do that when there is just a small amount of rain fall - the rain never actually reaches the soil below. This is less of an issue with pine straw.

Additionally, I feel that the pine straw just 'breathes' better. Soil getting too hot is an issue in raised beds in southern climates, and the structure of pine straw is just better at facilitating air flow.

Pine straw is sold by the bale. I’ve most often seen it available at independent garden centers like the Natural Gardener in Austin. Depending on the store, it can also be found at Home Depot and Lowes.

To apply, simply spread around in a 2 inch layer around your plants. If you encounter a compacted clump of pine straw, loosen it up when you apply it. Be sure to keep the mulch a couple inches away from the base of any plant. When you are done, you should have a 2 inch layer of loose pine straw in your garden, with no mulch touching the base stems of any plant.