Pine needle problems

18 years ago

We have a fenced courtyard that currently has a floor covering of pine needles, a small patch of ground cover, leaves and weeds! It's awful. Problem is we have many large pine trees right behind our fence that don't stop producing needles. I would prefer the look of something else, anything else. We just don't want the constant maintenance to keep our new flooring looking good. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to incorporate the pine with something more visually appealing?

Thanks

Comments (5)

seamommy
17 years ago
You might actually appreciate the pine needles if not for the weeds that are growing up in it. I personally like the look and the smell of pine needles when I walk on them. I wish I had your pine trees. My sister has several large pine trees n her yard and I regularly go over and rake the needles for her to use on my rose beds as mulch. Cheryl
lawnlover74
17 years ago
hi,
I;m not sure where you are. I think it is South Carolina. I'm new to this so I'm not sure but, I have the same problem in my yard. I have been reading up on what will tolerate acidic soil that is caused by pine needles. I have found that rhodadendrums, azelias and if it is a shady area also hostas (sorry about the spelling). If you truely have a carpet then you may want to consider taking down some of the trees, just thinning them out really. From what I understand, nothing will actually grow with a "carpet" of pine needles. You can look on line and google acidic plantings. That has helped me. I just planted those plants so I have to wait myself to see how they fair.
Good Luck
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jaybn
17 years ago
I have chrysanthemums living & blooming each year in pine needles. Hostas do well mulched with pine needles & it helps discourage slugs. Since you don't want to maintain/rake the needles, stick with medium to larger hostas since the smaller ones could be overwhelmed. Clethra, Spirea and Beautyberry shrubs are thriving under huge pines. (Of course, after 10 days of rain, everything looks happy!)
Saypoint zone 6 CT
17 years ago
I'm not sure what you mean by "new flooring". Is it a paved courtyard that's getting covered with pine needles? Are you tracking them into the house onto your new flooring? Pine needles make a wonderful mulch, and I grow woodland plants under mine. The area is light shade, and I have Dicentra, Tiarella, Ferns, Solomon's Seal, Geranium macrorrhyzum, Oakleaf Hydangea, Enkianthus, Leucothoe, Hollies, Mountain Laurel, Clethra alnifolia, Azaleas and Rhododendrons growing under mine.

If you don't have enough sun, maybe you can limb them up, or remove some of them?
Miguel Torres
3 years ago
Do what I do here in CA, I got tired of having the pines on my patio roof, grass and garden. It killed my grass, now I put down concrete and it fills the concrete area. Pick up those pines and put them back where they came from. My next step is to contact Walgreens (behind me) and tell them to cut them down or clean my patio area, roof and garden. Or contact all 5 neighbors behind Walgreens to take legal action. The Pine needles are a problem.