To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Pine Needle Myth
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 18:19:28 -0700
Title: Re: [NAFEX] Pine Needle Myth
From the responses, the pine needle myth is VERY wide-spread. People who should know better are spreading it and old ideas die hard.
I admit I have no idea as to whether or not I acidified the soil around my blueberries by mulching with pine straw. But the desired effect was acheived, ie better blueberries, worse grass.
I see grass doing poorly under a thick mulch of pine needles all the time.
It might be that the Vaccinium mycorhizal associates do better with pine straw.
I know some very experienced gardeners who swear that non-conifer chips are death to Rhodies (another heather family member) because of fungal problems.
And I've heard rumours of recent work showing that non-conifer woody material is better in a vegetable garden situation.
I'm just paying attention to what works.