growing media question (generic)

[Av8tor1]

I have long pondered this...

Why is there never any mention of including pine/cedar/spruce/etc needles...

just curious

Av

 

[jrod]

I've heard mention of this, too. I think a lot of people had trouble finding a source of clean pine needles. I haven't tried them, even though there's a big dead pine tree still covered with needles behind my house. I'd think the main motivation would be to provide acidity to the potting mix, but 50:50 peat:coarse sand with a splash of vinegar once in a while seems to work well for me. I'm about the opposite of an expert, though, so take anything I say with a grain of salt, or sand, or whatever...

 

[Av8tor1]

pine needles just seem like they would be a no-brainer...

 

[chloroplast]

I haven't heard of anyone having troubles with pine needles, so give it a shot if you want.

But peat moss or dead LFS should provide all the "acidity" that your plants need, if that's what you're worried about.

 

[Av8tor1]

not looking at them for their acidity as much as maybe an "airy" additive, that and pine barrens and Cp's are often neighbors... so maybe there is some possible additional benefits to be had by their use

basically, just curious...

Av

 

[jimscott]

I use pine needles for my Neps. That was proposed by the forum member called Maehem a few years ago.

 

[CP30]

After recognizing (or rather, actually seeing for myself) that so many alata and flava I have found in the wild grow in pine barrens, I have started using pine needle mulch in all of my conatiner bogs and in all my dionea and sarrs. I use it in some dews, and have used a little in neps. In my sarr bogs I have even added a layer of mulch on the top to minimze evaporation. I have seen only postive results from this. I cannot speak to cedar or fir needles.

 

[nepenthes_ak]

I used to be able to find Pine Needles but I havent found any one selling them other Wise I would use it as Mulch in the winter.