Why you shouldn't use pine needles for mulching in winter: a mistake made by inexperienced gardeners
Many gardeners and vegetable growers consider rotted compost to be the best mulching material for cultivated plants. Sometimes other types of organic matter are used – cut branches, leaves and stems, and sometimes needles.
But, as the expert of the online publication BelNovosti, scientist-agronomist, landscape designer Anastasia Kovrizhnykh said, coniferous litter in its pure form is suitable for mulching only those plants that like acidic soil - for example, blueberries.
But this kind of mulch is not suitable for strawberries, raspberries or currants.
The reason, as you might have guessed, is that pine needles have an acidic reaction, and for the crops listed, the optimal soil acidity is neutral or slightly alkaline.
If you do not intend to give up using pine needles as a mulching material, you should “improve” them a little.
To do this, mix the needles with dolomite flour or slaked lime in a ratio of 3 to 1.
In addition to the fact that the resulting mixture will have a balanced acidity, it will also repel pests and prevent the development of fungal diseases.
By the way, all of the above does not apply to spruce branches - due to the fact that they do not adhere tightly to the ground and are removed in the spring, their use will not harm the plants.
