Throughout the South, pine needles are used in flower beds and landscape border areas as ground cover. When pine needles decompose in the garden, they provide virtually no nutrients to the soil; but they provide shade, insulate root systems, they retain moisture in the soil, and are very attractive. Because pine needles decompose quickly, they lose their color and volume over a period of months. Especially in commercial properties, typical maintenance calls for adding straw every three to six months, called "topdressing", to maintain volume and appearance. Over time, the base straw becomes matted and spongy. Rather than transmit rainfall to the soil and plant roots, this layer of material absorbs and traps moisture. The roots of the plants, seeking the moisture, stay near the soil surface. This moist, decomposed straw can act like a second soil layer, and the plant roots may grow up into it. For this reason, in addition to the top-dressing, old straw should be raked out annually and replaced. |
Textraw answers many of the problems with pine straw!
Textraw: Retains its color for years without fading Contains no weeds, seeds, sticks, cones, or critters Resists termites and insects Highly resistant to mold and mildew Cleaner than natural straw, manufactured from recycled plastics Does not absorb moisture or chemicals, so less of these are required Hypoallergenic, environmentally friendly Maintains its volume, because it does not decompose Easier to spread than pine straw Delivered fresh year-round 4 Year Color Warranty Saves Labor – initial application lasts five years or more
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