Custom Pine Straw The Official Blog

Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on January 31, 2012

Pine straw is an excellent landscape mulching material. It is commonly baled and sold in the southeastern U.S., and is the No. 1 mulch used in landscaping. Since pine straw is actually a leaf (needle), it benefits the landscape in much the same way decomposing leaves benefit the forest floor by recycling nutrients and maintaining soil organic matter. Hardwood bark mulch, on the other hand, when used in excess, can cause a buildup of calcium and potassium in the soil, increasing pH and causing an imbalance in soil minerals that can interfere with nutrient uptake. The minerals in pine needles are balanced so their decomposition does not create an imbalance in the soil. Hardwood and pine bark mulch can wash away in a strong rain. Pine straw knits together and holds in place during heavy rain, helping to prevent soil erosion.

Pine straw is very beneficial when used as a mulch cover and can provide supplemental income to forest owners during years that no timber is harvested. These publications discuss the uses of pine straw, the gathering, bailing and selling of pine straw, and the environmental effects of removing straw from forests. Our homes are among the most important financial investments we’ll ever make. While we often spend time and money upgrading appliances, painting the exterior, fixing roofs, and remodeling kitchens and baths, we often end up neglecting our landscapes. The times are forever changing and with housing values at there lowest in many years having a beautiful landscape could make the difference between breaking even and making some money on the sale of your home.

There is a close association between the yard and the home. “People associate a beautiful garden with a warm and inviting home,” says Craig Humphries, Director of Consumer Insights at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. A well-maintained yard also reflects well on the owner’s values. “It gives the impression the inside of the home is as well cared for as the outside,” he says.

Nearly all the homeowners surveyed (94 percent) appreciated the benefits of a well-designed and maintained landscape. The most common benefits cited were that it provides a place of beauty and relaxation for the family, beautifies the neighborhood, reflects positively on the homeowner, and adds real estate value and curb appeal (first impression from passersby) to the home.

What defines a well-designed and maintained landscape? Think of your yard as a room. Furniture and attractive walls define the room, and accents express your personal style. You might personalize the garden with water elements (fountains, waterfalls, and small ponds) and garden art that provide a sense of drama or whimsy. Or, have some fun and put pink flamingoes and plastic alligators on your lawn! This is your yard, landscape to increase the value of your home, start by surrounding your plants with the healthy choice for your gardens with pine straw. It is your place to live and enjoy.

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on January 24, 2012

Winter is here, but no worries Pine Straw is near!

Winter is here and full swing and for most gardeners this means pack up your shovel and your spade. But NO! This is not the time to pack it in; this is the time to nurture your plants and gardens. To help ensure a lush crop or a breath-taking landscape come spring, you must protect your plants from the frigged cold air with pine straw.

Pine straw needles are preferred by many gardeners to mulch their glorious gardens because they are a natural, readily available and inexpensive way to mulch garden plants. Mulching around your plants helps to contain soil erosion, helps the plant retain moisture in the soil and also provides a steady supply of nutrients to a plant as the needles decompose. Pine mulch, or pine straw, has a rich, earthy color that many gardeners employ as contrast against the bright blooms of annuals, perennials and green-leafed plants. Acidic-loving plants respond particularly well to pine straw mulch.

Blueberries, Hostas, flowering annuals, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, flowering perennials and Camellias are just some of the plants, which benefit greatly from getting extra care through the help of pine straw during the winter.
Blueberries prefer acid soils with a pH level of about 4.5 (soils with a pH of 7 or less is considered acidic). Pine straw spread around the base of blueberry plants helps them maintain a proper pH value as the mulch gradually decomposes.
Broad-leafed Hostas—also acid-loving plants—do well with a thick layer of pine needles spread around the base of each plant. Not only will the mulch keep the soil moist, but it will also provide a pleasing contrast to the lush blue-greens, greens or yellow-gold’s of different Hosta varieties.

Flowering Annuals this is because annuals mature and bloom relatively quickly during the growing season, pH levels in soil aren’t as critical to them. Pansies, zinnias, snapdragons, dahlias and marigolds respond well when mulched with pine needles, especially since pine straw is light enough for young annual plants or bulbs to push through as they grow toward the sun.

Azaleas, Rhododendrons and Camellias these vivid pinks, reds, whites and orange shrubs add a dramatic beauty to any garden. These largely evergreen shrubs thrive in damp, acid soils. Mulching with pine needles ensures proper pH soil levels for azaleas and rhododendrons throughout the growing season. Camellia growers in the Gulf States of the U.S. spread pine needle mulch around their prize-winning camellia shrubs not only for soil nutrition and temperature maintenance, but also for aesthetic reasons.

Flowering perennials such as daylilies, Shasta daisies, coreopsis and canna lilies grow well when mulched with pine needles. Pine straw also prevents mud from spattering on plants after a heavy rainfall.
Winter is not over and has barely even begun, there is still time for you to brave the cold and nurture your garden. Custom Pine Straw in North Florida is who came to my rescue and saved my garden from these cruel temperatures and I know they can help you too.

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on January 14, 2012

I fill my life with projects galore, from the simple to the extreme. Lately I have wanted to revamp my garden to withstand the elements and yet still remain eye-catching. In this quest I found the use of pine needles and pine straw to be the esthetic I had been looking for.

To my great surprise there are many different types of pine straw to be had. I never knew the possibilities of different colors, textures, and in some cases longevity. I have found three major pine straws to choose from when changing the look of your garden and they are Longleaf, Slash, and Loblolly Pine Straws. I also took the time to learn about the different plants, shrubs and flowers which will grow well through Pine Straw and the durability of Pine Straws through different elements of weather such as wind and cooler temperatures.

Longleaf Pine Straw is also known as Long Needle Pine Straw and to our scientists’ Pinus Palustris. Longleaf Pine Straw is the longest and thickest needle and carries the heaviest wax outer coating which helps with its extreme durability and longevity. Longleaf is also considered the premium pine needle in its category and is widely used for landscaping.

Slash Pine Straw is known for its cleanliness, durability, and affordability. Slash is also known as the Yellow Slash Pine Straw and Standard Pine Straw. Scientists know this as Pinus Elliottii. Slash is the most popular pine straw I found for use in gardens and landscaping.

Loblolly Pine Straw is the third most widely known and used of the pine straws. Loblolly is also named the Short Needle Pine Straw when categorized with other pine straws. Scientists call this one Pinus Taeda.

A wide array of plants, shrubs, and flowers thrive in the hands of using pine straw as gardening mulch. Such as azaleas, hostas, ferns, hydrangeas, magnolias, bleeding hearts, rose a sharons, and several berry bushes. Planting the flower, bush or shrub of your choice and then covering the foot wide diameter around with pine straw helps to keep pesky insects at bay. Pine Straw will also help keep moisture around longer for your plants benefit. And as long as you keep the pine straw at least at a depth of about 3 inches, the pine straw will help protect against intrusive weeds and other pesky problems.

Placing Pine Straw or Pine Needles around the bases of yours trees, shrubs and other plants can be effective in protecting various and vast root systems from cooler temperatures. Pine Straw will also withstand high winds and protect your plants during storms from wind damage. However if you live in a part of the country where high winds are a regular occurrence you will want to specifically use the longleaf pine straw and keep it at a depth of 6inches with a two foot diameter around your bases.

Wow, who would have thought choosing a simple Pine Straw to use in beautifying your garden could be this vast in possibilities. After learning all this information I decided to go with a Slash Pine Straw mainly for its wide use and positive feedback from its users. I hope in reading this you will find your way through the path of pine and be more rest assured when the time comes for you too to unleash the beauty Pine Straws can bring to your garden.

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on January 7, 2012

Pine Straw… what a useful commodity! When most of us think of us think of Pine Straw or Pine Needles we think of using it in gardening and landscaping projects. I am here to tell you there are even more uses and to give new light to this natural resource. Pine Straw is used throughout the United States and is found on the floors of pine forests, in our yards and garden landscapes, and used for decoration during the holidays. I have found several innovative ways to use this product in our everyday lives including crafting beautiful weaving decorations.

Throughout my searches I came across a little known treat using fresh pine needles, pine needle tea! Who would have thought? Using freshly cut and /or newly fallen pine needles you can make, what some say to be, a delicious homemade brew said to help with respiratory benefits. By steeping the pine straw in piping hot water for several minutes, draining, and then sweetening it with either honey or sugar to your liking you can make a tasty treat. Pine Needles/ Pine Straw are very high in Vitamin C and are thought to be beneficial in treating sinus symptoms such as a cough (chronic or acute), sore throats, and even nasal congestion according to the Practical Survivor website.

Who Knew?

Using pine straw and pine needles in making craft projects have also become popular over the years. Basket and other weaving crafts using pine straw date back to the American Civil War. Crafters use them to make such decorations as holiday wreathes baskets and other collectible art. Pine Straw or Pine Needles are a practical way of designing on a dime, a wholesale company like Custom Pine Straw, cleans and bales the straw making it perfect for uses even beyond the garden. Baskets and wreathes can be made in many different shapes and sizes and would be great time filler for children during holiday breaks with nothing to do. Pine Straw weaving uses age-old techniques and yet has been modernized slightly through the years, but still keeps its old world beauty.

So the next time you look at pine straw, take a moment to ponder the possibilities of this great and somewhat underappreciated natural resource. From harvesting the needles for gardening and landscaping, to sweet medically beneficial tea made with fresh needles, to the plethora of possibilities and endless fun for crafting, this natural abundant resource is just perfect to use so many ways!

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on January 4, 2012

Pine Straw is a very useful natural resource. I recently bought some property that had a few acres of pine trees on it. So I started wondering if there was any money to be made from having these acres of pine trees even though they are not mature enough to be harvested. What I came across was the harvesting of the pine straw dropped to the ground by the pine trees. As I explored the harvesting potential of the pine straw  I found that Pine Straw can be harvested at about age ten and on, at about two times per calendar year. Pine plantations yield 100 to 150 bales per acre per year if all conditions are right or approximately two tons per acre each year. Factors such as tree age, species, stand density, soil fertility and season affect pine straw crop. Other variables that contribute to pine straw yields include interval between harvests, bale size, “cleanliness” of underbrush, and raking efficiency. Three things to always inquire first about before harvesting are:

• Age
• Pine Straw Density
• Season

Also as a rule of thumb, vigorously growing younger stands produce more than overly mature, stagnant stands. This rule also holds true for wood production. Also, a well-managed, clean stand with several years’ accumulation of needles will not necessarily provide greater yield than a well-managed, clean stand with only two year needle fall because older needles disintegrate and become too brittle to bale. Only the fresh, red needles are desired by consumers.

For pine straw removal and proper harvesting one would need a highly productive crew of five or so people and will require about two to three weeks to prepare, clean, rake, bale, and haul pine straw bales from a typical, 30 acre plantation. The process for machine harvesting a typical pine plantation for pine straw requires that you:

1. Remove (prune) the lower limbs of every tree that might block the movement of equipment and laborers within the rows. Pruning may be performed by hand with machete or special saws. Limb removal may also be accomplished more cost effectively by using a modified cutter attached to a small tractor. Hand raking operations may not find pruning necessary depending upon tree height.
2. Remove all trees and shrubs that are within the baling rows. Remove all limbs and other debris from the baling rows. The debris must be picked up or raked off site. Often, one out of 3 or 5 rows will be used as a “trash” rows in which the debris will be deposited. This eliminates the need to move the debris great distances.
3. Rake the pine needles either by hand or by machine into windrows. (A windrow is a row of cut (mowed) hay or small grain crop.)

Surprisingly, raking and baling are the easiest and fastest parts of the process. Cleanup, gathering, and transporting the bales are the more difficult, labor intensive and expensive steps.

1. Make sure to exclude any insects (ants), excess litter, grass, hardwood leaves when baling that might reduce the value of the bale.
2. Bale either by hand or by machine. Twine should be tight enough to hold bale securely without breaking.
3. Transport bales out of woods and deliver to markets or to a storage barn. Straw bales should be protected from rain to prevent molding and nutrient leaching.

Once all has been harvested and baled and shipped off the plantation, owner should receive a healthy penny for their harvest. Hope you enjoy the harvesting potential of pine straw as much as I do. Now go bale some Pine Straw!

By: S. Lauren Easterday

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on November 26, 2011

Pine Straw Mulch is slowly becoming one of the most popular organic Mulch’s on the market. Many who purchase it from gardeners to landscapers are greatly impressed with both the quality and the benefits that come with using such a natural product. It seems in many Mulching forums these days there is a great deal of talk of Pine Straw Mulch and I’m sure you find yourself asking why? There are hundreds of reasons as to why but I will gladly give you a few of the benefits it gives.

For those who are not aware there seems to be a growing problem with something called Shotgun Fungus. Shotgun Fungus is a type of fungus that when it discharges its spores have a sticky substance that makes it so spores can stick to any surface. This makes the fungus difficult to get rid of and often becomes troublesome for everyone who has to deal with it.

Luckily for some the Shotgun Fungus greatly like wood based mulch’s. Using Pine Straw as your Mulch of choice will prevent Shotgun Fungus. If you are experiencing Shotgun Fungus it is recommended you completely get rid of your wood mulch and replace it with Pine Straw Mulch, if it has spread to the side of your house the black spots will stop appearing on the side of your house.

Another problem some seem to face is termites or the fear of getting them. Some Mulch’s can indeed draw termites to it. This is not the case with Pine Straw termites are not attracted to Pine Straw Mulch in the least and will usually try and avoid the mulch. So if you are suffering from a termite infestation due to the mulch your using it would be recommended to switch over to Pine Straw Mulch. The lack of termites will bring both a relief and save money on whatever needed to be repaired due to the damage done by them.

Pine Straw Mulch is also known for being able to keep slugs, snails, and some other small pests out of the gardens. The sharpness of the needles makes it difficult for those smaller pests to maneuver through into your garden. So if you’re not a fan of slugs or snails like myself and seem to have trouble with your other mulch keeping them out, give Pine Straw Mulch a try. It will give you a piece of mind knowing that the next time you’re out in your garden you won’t find yourself coming across a single slug, snail, or other small pests.

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on November 12, 2011

Pine Straw Mulch tends to be one of those mulches that people don’t really seem to know much about. What plants does it go best with? What will it do for my soil? What makes it so great? The list of questions goes on and on about Pine Straw Mulch. But I find that the most important thing to focus on is what mulch can do for your plants. Every gardener seems to have a favorite and some of follow a particular theme. Other gardeners are new and inexperienced and are looking for solutions to keep their plants from wilting.

So you have a garden that has plants that thrive in high acid content soil but your finding that it’s a bit difficult to find a Mulch that when said Mulch breaks down it gives your plants what they really need. Pine Straw Mulch is very acidic Mulch making it perfect for the dilemma some of you may be facing. It’s made from Pine needles from Pine trees and Pine trees are known for being acidic plants. But then for some that poses the question of do my plants like acidic soil?

Now that takes a bit of time to look into and research luckily I have found a small list to start you off on your journey. Some gardeners may like to plant both flowers and vegetables well luckily for them some flowers and shrubs share a liking for acidic soil with some yummy fruits and veggies. Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Gardenias, and Hydrangea plants really enjoy acidic soil. Which means if you wish to grow a garden filled with blueberries, black berries, and cucumbers, you can put them in the garden with your flowers. Or even the left over Pine Straw can be using for a small plot to enrich that soil and give you a small little patch of area to garden with.

Pine Straw Mulch is still Mulch even if gardeners decide to use it to help enrich their soils and thus it can always add a great deal of benefit to your garden. Pine Straw Mulch decreases the amount of weeds which means less time on your hands and knees and more time working on your garden in the warm months perfecting those prized cucumbers or blueberries for a fair or for your families’ personal enjoyment. The mulch traps in moisture protecting plants during dry spells leaving less of a chance of going over what you’re allowed during droughts. The possibilities are endless and people are finding more and more plants that Pine Straw Mulch works best for in both gardening for leisure and for commercial use.

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on November 2, 2011

Most people are not aware of the differences in Pine Straw Mulch but there are 3 types of Pine Straw Mulch. The 3 different types of Pine Straw Mulch are Longleaf Pine Straw which is considered the best Pine Straw Mulch that money can buy. It’s a rather rare form of Mulch but it is recommended that Landscaping companies try to find a place that sells it for the sake of your landscaping projects. It is the most durable and thus will last the longest giving your bedding’s the longest protection and appeal.

The next type of Pine Straw Mulch is Slash Pine Straw. Slash Pine Straw is the most common type of Mulch in the category of Pine Straw Mulch’s that you can find on the market. It’s affordable, cleanly, and durable. It’s what most Landscapers should be purchasing if they do not wish to hunt or are on a bit more of a budget but do not wish to give something of cheap quality. It will not last as long as Longleaf Pine Mulch but it will still last long enough to where one will not have to redo the mulching in their landscaping beds frequently.

Loblolly Pine Straw is the worst Pine Straw one can purchase. It does not last long and it isn’t all that appealing. It’s cheap which gives it the only advantage in a sense but landscapers will find themselves having to purchase it more frequently and often for their projects. I believe that most consumers will find themselves to be short changed so it’s not recommended to do so. A displeased Customer is a customer that will not be returning to the company. Most respectable Pine Straw companies will not even bother selling this which thankfully makes it such a rare form of Pine Straw Mulch to come by but for a good reason.

Luckily though for must landscaping companies and even those who are purchasing Pine Straw mulch for themselves can find the best quality Longleaf Pine Straw at affordable prices online. In particular one company that I am personally aware of that sells top quality Longleaf pine straw mulch is called Custom Pine Straw. The company owners are very friendly and helpful. Their prices are reasonable and thus you don’t have to settle for anything more than the last. Their site gives wonderful tips for using Pine Mulch and the company is wonderful on their shipping. You couldn’t ask for a better place to go for your Pine Straw Mulch needs.

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on October 31, 2011

It seems like today with consumers and the economy people are always looking for a way to save money and have items with many purposes and uses. Pine Straw Mulch can be just that. With most regular mulch’s available the consumer is not guaranteed to really get their monies worth. But Pine Straw gives you that in so many ways. Looking to save money on weed killers? Pine Straw has been proven to kill the weeds for you. Have extra Pine Straw Mulch that you’re not using for bedding and have any holes that need a quick fill in? Pine Straw works wonderfully for that.

But maybe that’s not your cup of tea. Maybe you want more for your money. There are so many more ways to use Pine Straw Mulch. With the way the housing market has been these days home owners selling their homes need to find ways to make their houses look more appealing to prospective buyers, Pine Straw Mulch can do just that. It will bring out the flower beds and a nice aroma of pine relaxing potential buyers. Being organic those green friendly prospective house buyers will appreciate the fact that your making their future gardens so eco-friendly. Plus for those whom have heavy rainy seasons Pine Straw Mulch does not wash away easily or end up washing onto your house’s driveway. With that in mind if it rains heavily before a house showing you’re not forced to run around outside attempting to fix the damage done to your flower beds or cancel the house showing.

For some farmers looking to both enrich and vitalize their soils Pine Straw Mulch could very well be a new innovative way for enriching their soils for planting crops. Tomato’s especially Jersey Tomato’s thrive in soils with a high acid content. So as when the Pine Straw Mulch breaks down and enriches the soil it can give key nutrients needed for farmers like those whom farm Tomato’s. Farmers are always looking for ways to make their plants thrive and Pine Straw Mulch could perhaps give that edge a farmer is looking for.  There are other plants that thrive in high acid content so for those with nurseries with said acid loving plants Pine Straw Mulch could be a great way to save money and time while allowing for your tree’s or other plants to thrive and grow. The healthier the nursery or farm the better business becomes.

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Posted By Pine Straw Mulch on October 29, 2011

See part one for full details…

After you apply the pine mulch you need to make sure you gently hand-rake or move it away from against the stems or the trunks of the bushes and trees. Placing any sort of mulch too close to a tree-trunk will provide the conditions for the development of rot. If this sort of problem should happen, the damage cannot be undone, and the plant or plants will most likely die in a matter of seasons. Improper mulching will also provide an ideal home for rodents, which can also chew on plant stems or roots resulting in the death of the plant.

You should certainly mulch your fall-transplant trees and work on landscaping your plants as soon as you’ve planted and watered them. The pine mulch is needed to keep the soil warm and moist for as long as possible before the cold weather freezes the soil. Mulch helps to give the plants time for the roots of transplanted trees and shrubs to become well-established.

With the more established garden plants it is best to mulch earlier in the autumn if possible since doing so helps to retain the warmth in the soil and roots continue to grow for an extended period of time. Plants can benefit by absorbing more moisture as they head into colder months which puts them in much better shape. In the springtime you will of course need to remove the pine mulch from your perennial plants or at least pull it away soon as snow melts and the plants begin to flourish again. For other types of plants, trees, and shrubs you can leave the much as it is and simply refresh it.

Pine Straw mulch is really very important in the autumn since the perennials will harden as the fall season turns to winter. While plants may endure very low temperatures in the winter months, such temperatures in the fall may very well kill the plants since they aren’t fully hardened-off. This is why it is so critical to put your mulch in as early as possible. If there is a steep decline in temperatures in the fall you can rest-at-ease since the soil temperatures in your garden will drop much more slowly due to the mulched soil. In conclusion, I hope you learned a few new tip to help you with your fall mulch plans and your garden will be healthy and gorgeous next spring!

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