If I remove the pine needles from my raised flower garden, will the flowers be alright with just a few needles here and there? I've been reading the articles about flowers and shrubs that are compatible with living under pine trees. My friend and my husband both said the needles are acidic and shouldn't be left in the garden. If I keep them cleared out of the garden in the fall when they begin to drop, will that help keep the soil from being too acidic?
By Sherrie
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University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension: Pine Needles Cause Acid Soil Fact or Fiction
Believe it or not, this is fiction, a myth. Pine needles do not make the soil more acidic. This bit of garden lore is so common that almost everyone believes it, including many professionals.
Sherrie,
If you still have concerns, you can but a kit to test your soil's ph for 3 or 4 dollars.
True the needles themselves are not acidic. Maybe for a short bit when they are green and drying but brown needles are not. The acidity I have read often comes from it basically being a monoculture (pines) and using up most of certain nutrients and a surplus of others.
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