Interlocking layers of delicate needles and a wafting pine scent provide a satisfying foundation for blossoming beds, but pine straw isn’t always the ideal choice for every circumstance. Spreading pine straw over a garden bed enhances moisture retention and decreases erosion, but it decomposes fast and it’s a bad choice in areas prone to wildfires. Alternatives to pine straw can reduce these problems, but no single type of mulch is perfect for every garden.
Bark Mulches
Bark mulches shield plant beds using a layer of tree bark cut into chunks. Bark mulch has several of the same qualities that make pine straw attractive but it lasts longer and is less of a fire hazard. Bark mulches come in many types of wood and different colors. The bark decomposes over time, adding nutrients to the soil and improving its texture.
Wood Chips
Wood chips continue more in a garden than pine straw and supply a similar degree of protection from erosion and moisture loss. Wood chips are prone to compaction once they begin to decompose. Decomposing wood chips may enhance the texture and nutrient content of the soil in a plant bed under the ideal circumstances, but wood chips that are consistently wet frequently begin to decay. Rotting wood chips promote the growth of fungi and other harmful microorganisms and can prevent water from infiltrating the soil.
Inorganic Mulches
Mulches made from volcanic rock, gravel or crushed stone are powerful alternatives to pine straw in some cases. Unlike organic options, these mulches do not add nutrients to the soil or improve its texture and they do not break down. Inorganic mulches are also not susceptible to rotting in moist beds. Inorganic mulches made from stone will slowly raise the pH of their soil and are not a fantastic alternative for beds where low pH adapted plants develop. It is ideal to set a layer of landscape fabric down before you include inorganic mulches to prevent the stones from sinking into the soil.
Mulching With Compost
Compost provides a layer of partially decomposed organic substance that minimizes erosion, improves moisture retention and helps suppress weeds. Compost is most effective as a replacement for pine straw in annual or vegetable beds in which the compost can be tilled into the soil at the end of every growing season. Tilling compost into the soil enhances its structure and provides extra nutrients for your next season’s plants. Improperly cured compost can harbor disease or weeds, so investigate local sources of compost to find out what materials go into the compost or make your own.
Landscape Fabrics
Sheets of polypropylene or polyester woven in a fine mesh aid control weeds and improve water retention without preventing water, air and fertilizer from reaching the soil. Landscape fabrics are harmonious with different mulches, and spreading 1 to 3 inches of loose organic mulch over the fabric hides it and shields it from the degrading effects of ultraviolet radiation. Unlike other mulches, geotextiles are held in position with landscaping staples even if they are weighted down by a layer of mulch.