I have pine needles in several pots with hosta. I don't think there is a silver bullet for total slug prevention, but I don't believe that pine needles attracts them.

Slugs have been minimal this year for me. It could be because I drenched the pips with 10% vinegar/90% water in the spring. Then sprayed the same solution on the leaves (not in direct sun) periodically (read as "when I remember") throughout the growing season.

I also slug hunt every warm morning and mash the slimy dudes. I figure the more I get now, the less to reproduce along the way.

Fall clean up of hosta leaf litter helps eliminate egg potential adding to the numbers the next year.

But I digress... I believe that pine needles would be fine to use.

Deb

you wont find pine needles in MI .. unless you have a very big budget ....

any wood chips are fine .... keep it away from the crowns.. slugs will hide in it ...

and NO COLORED MULCH.. or i will track you down and slap you ...

ken

Well I don't like colored mulch and I don't like getting slapped so that's settled. I don't have an unlimited budget but will look for some deal on pine needles.

we live in a pine forest, so pine needles bury our hostas, to the point of causing corm-rot, even.

Any bark mulch should be small pieces to not permit slugs to hide under. Any mulch should be less that 1 inch high, or you would not notice voles running under it.

I use the cheapest mulch I can find,usually Cypress mulch,but I have used mini Pine bark mulch also. Either way,the mulch breaks down,over time,and adds to the soil. Phil

If you are still interested in pine needles, notice if a neighbor, or somebody down the road, has a row of pines. If asked, I bet they would let you rake up some for your mulch.

I got mine from my daughter's house. Raked the needles into a couple of trash bags and toted 'em home.

Deb

I'm going to differ a bit on thickness of mulch, I use probably 2-3 inches when I mulch with cypress ....at less than an inch I wonder about the effectiveness of knocking down weeds and helping to retain moisture. Except for borders and new plantings, I've stopped purchasing mulch and now use oak leaves. In the fall, I have been adding leaves that are chopped and bagged in mowing..... this can end up quite thick. In the spring I try to pull leaves back from hosta crown before the pips appear, but leave them in the gardens. I also leave the scapes over winter to help locate the crowns in the springtime.

Paul

Pine needles, I've learned, are NOT liked by many hosta-munching 'bugs'. I see much, much less damage to hostas that are mulched in pine needles. The beds that aren't (weren't) had a lot more damage and visible crawlies. Now I consider my pine trees gold mines for their needles. : ) Not a cure-all, but I've noticed.

Don B.

Hey, I don't have the time to cram pine straw into a bag, so I just take an old bed spread or a piece of plastic tarp and rake em to the middle. Then I tie up the corners and throw it in the car.

Periodically (read that as when I have time and/or think about it) ......I drive around the hood and scarf up the bags set to the curb by NON GARDENERS which contains the precious pine straw. It is so pretty, I love it around my day lilies....which do not die down in the winter (for the most part) and the old row of rosemary..

However, most of my mulch for the hosta paths and garden foundation is the shredded cypress. I also like the mini pine bark nuggets for the front yard areas, and trying the composted pine bark AKA pine bark fines as sold by Lowes.

Would you believe they charge MORE for the colored stuff? Which I wouldn't take if it was cheaper!