Pine straw

[graciegirl]

We aren't ready to replace the pine straw with pebbles or other material but I would like to freshen it up. I can't find where to buy bales of pine straw. They have pine mulch at Lowe's which is different.

The gardener is very adamant to replace the pine straw, but I kinda suspect it is a money maker for him if he does. He says there are bugs in it. (Haven't seen any) and it is a fire hazard. I rather like the way it looks and the big upgrade of landscaping is expensive and takes some planning.

Any thoughts?

[KayakerNC]

We aren't ready to replace the pine straw with pebbles or other material but I would like to freshen it up. I can't find where to buy bales of pine straw. They have pine mulch at Lowe's which is different.

The gardener is very adamant to replace the pine straw, but I kinda suspect it is a money maker for him if he does. He says there are bugs in it. (Haven't seen any) and it is a fire hazard. I rather like the way it looks and the big upgrade of landscaping is expensive and takes some planning.

Any thoughts?
I kind of like the pine bark mini nuggets.
Is that something you have to run by the landscape police?

[lasvegas]

I do landscaping in TV and remove straw from homes everyday. If you would like I can bring you some I am taking some out today that is in Bonita and is pretty new straw let me know you can have it. I will not even charge to bring it out if it is South of 466. You can call me 352-551-9743.

[lasvegas]

And also if you do not want to do that you can go to Russo Dirt Cheap on 441 by Market of Marion and pick some up for about $5.00 a bail. The number is 245-7900.

[juneroses]

I agree with you, graciegirl. I also like the look of pine straw and it's good for the soil (SAND!) that we have north of 466. As the pine straw breaks down, it enriches our soil. If you enjoy gardening, something other than stone offers greater ease in redesigning and relocating plants. If a weed takes hold in rock mulch with the underlying cloth, it can be a bear to try to completely remove. And weeds will sprout in both rock and pine straw. I'll grant to the rock proponents that if someone carelessly tosses a lit cigarette butt in the mulch, the rock will not support a fire whereas dried pine straw would.

When I redressed my beds in the fall, there were several places that sold baled pine straw:

R & K Farms, 3 miles south of the Villages at 2165 Highway 27/441
Dirt Cheap, north of the Villages at 13265 Highway 27/441
Fairfield Farms at 12472 US 301 (between US 42 and CR 466)

You might also check with your grasscutter. During a casual conversation with the young man who cuts our grass, my husband mentioned that we'd be renewing the mulch. Our grasscutter volunteered to pick up the bales we needed and he brought them the following week.

[graciegirl]

I agree with you, graciegirl. I also like the look of pine straw and it's good for the soil (SAND!) that we have north of 466. As the pine straw breaks down, it enriches our soil. If you enjoy gardening, something other than stone offers greater ease in redesigning and relocating plants. If a weed takes hold in rock mulch with the underlying cloth, it can be a bear to try to completely remove. And weeds will sprout in both rock and pine straw. I'll grant to the rock proponents that if someone carelessly tosses a lit cigarette butt in the mulch, the rock will not support a fire whereas dried pine straw would.

When I redressed my beds in the fall, there were several places that sold baled pine straw:

R & K Farms, 3 miles south of the Villages at 2165 Highway 27/441
Dirt Cheap, north of the Villages at 13265 Highway 27/441
Fairfield Farms at 12472 US 301 (between US 42 and CR 466)

You might also check with your grasscutter. During a casual conversation with the young man who cuts our grass, my husband mentioned that we'd be renewing the mulch. Our grasscutter volunteered to pick up the bales we needed and he brought them the following week.

Thank you Juneroses, from one Cincinnati girl to another!!

[lasvegas]

So I take it you do not want this pine straw that I have since you did not respond.

[JohnN]

straw breaks down faster than the nuggets and mulch,
about twice as fast or more is my guess.
we used straw extensively in Atlanta and it was a twice a year deal to refresh it

it does help enrich the soil (as does other plant mulchs) as opposed to the rock, plenty of threads around on those aspects

[eastmanp]

does pine straw make the soil more acid?

[juneroses]

An additional source of pine straw is Porter's, north of The Villages on US 441. They advertised bales for sale in their full page Daily Sun ad today (Saturday, February 28th).

[jkomoros]

Our pest control guy told us to replace the pine straw ASAP - at least the stuff close to the house - because the bugs love it. Has anyone else heard that? Since he doesn't do mulch, I tend to believe him because he is not making money replacing it.
Janet

[graciegirl]

That is what ours told us too. I since learned that they would replace it or spruce it up or add to it...anyway redo the pine straw for $85. I had bought ten bales for $50 and spread it myself before I found that out. I HATE bugs and didn't run into a single one while I was messing in it and digging out a new bed. I love hands on gardening. I like to get dirty and bend and moan and move myself around. I kid myself into thinking it is exercise.

I asked the nursery lady about the bugs because the pine straw was riding behind me in the van (shiver) and she said no bugs but sometimes the geckos hitch a ride. I had our daughter Helene watch the back while I hurriedly returned home. No geckos, so far.

HOWEVER. Our neighbor Honey, (Coconuts husband) said that they had a fire in their pine straw and couldn't determine the origin. I am not liking to hear that. Hardly hot enough for spontaneous combustion and they don't smoke.

[graciegirl]

I prefer to use cypress mulch myself due to pinestraw could be a fire hazard and gives bugs a breeding ground, also cypress mulch is within my budget which is very important these days!!




I so agree about watching the budget and I thank you for the tip about cypress mulch!!!!

[diskman]

I do landscaping in TV and remove straw from homes everyday. If you would like I can bring you some I am taking some out today that is in Bonita and is pretty new straw let me know you can have it. I will not even charge to bring it out if it is South of 466. You can call me 352-551-9743.

this person offered to help you for FREE, and you didn't even reply with a thanks for your offer?:shrug:

[graciegirl]

this person offered to help you for FREE, and you didn't even reply with a thanks for your offer?:shrug:

You are absolutely right.

It certainly was kind of LasVegas, and now that you have brought it to my attention, I realize I was remiss. I apologize to LasVegas. I tried to reach her by phone and she didn't answer and so I went out and bought the pine straw. I feel bad for not thanking her publicly.

LasVegas, if you are reading this, I hesitated too long to reply. I thank you for your very kind offer and appreciate the time it took to contact me not once, but twice. You are a very nice person indeed. I am ashamed of my bad manners!!

[lasvegas]

It is not a big deal at all I am sure you might have thought I was crazy, but I do remove the stuff every day to put in stone and if I do not give it away I have to pay to dump it so I have no problem giving it away saves me dumping fees.

[champion6]

Lasvegas, from your experience have you seen locations where the pine straw has become an area that attracts bugs?

[lasvegas]

Well, the pest control people will tell you to get rid of the pine straw and put in stone. I know to some people sometimes price is an issue and it is not possible to do. I really believe that the worst think about pine straw is it has to be replaced so often for it to look good, as far as bugs I tell people this is Florida and you will never get rid of all the bugs. Even with a total hard scape you may see some bugs. Hopefully that helps a little.

[KathieI]

Las Vegas, I'm so happy to have you on the board so I can ask some free questions. LOL. You sound so knowledgeable and I'm confused as to why in Florida, the garden beds even have stone or straw? Is it necessary? I really don't like the look of it at all, and in California, we just used plain old dirt. Periodically, maybe twice a year, we added more soil to replenish what has eroded from the rain (although we didn't get much rain) and we also used the plastic underlay to keep the weed growth to a minimum, if that possible.

My question is, can this be done in Florida as well? Thanks for your reply, I might call you to discuss this. You've been very helpful. Kath

[lasvegas]

Well, this is what I tell people about pros and cons to your ground cover. I think it is more of a personal preference then anything. I have had a few customers in the past that wanted to just leave a topsoil but I would make sure you have a yard that is well drained and you do not get wash outs. I have done mulch and bark jobs and the first rain is was in the neighbors yard. I think that a lot of people in TV go to stone because it is lower maintenance and people do not want to have to replace it like you do with mulches, bark or even topsoil. I have never been to California but I have been to places and know what you are talking about and I like the look much more natural then some of these stones and rubber mulches.

[KathieI]

Thanks LV, I'm gonna take this off line with you because I have very specific questions to the look I want and I'm not sure everyone is interested in this. But I want to thank you for your help so far, I will be in touch. K.