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Georgia
Pine Straw as POPULARITY
Use of Georgia pine straw as a ground cover mulch in landscaping around trees and in flower beds has been popular in the southern United States for the past 25 years. It has become one of the most widely used mulches for all size projects ranging from residential flower beds to industrial complexes and highway landscapes. It’s popularity will continue to grow because it is clean, attractive and provides exceptional value for most landscaping situations. RENEWABLE
RESOURCE
Pine Straw is a renewable resource that is harvested each year in Georgia. You do not have to cut down the trees to collect it. Pine trees in Georgia naturally shed their dead needles each year. These needles are raked into bales of pine straw and used as landscape mulch. PROMOTES
FAVOURABLE GROWING CONDITIONS
Pine Straw helps provide favourable growing conditions and stimulates healthy plant development because pine straw:
Eliminates erosion caused by wind and rain splash impact, Protects against soil compaction by reducing the rain directly on the soil surface, and Aids in promoting favourable soil tilth for healthy root growth. REDUCES LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE COSTSConsumers and landscapers prefer the portability and ease of transport afforded by the compact lightweight bales. Each bale will expand to cover an area of 50 square feet 3 inches thick. Landscape Maintenance costs are reduced because the thick layer of straw hinders the establishment of weeds, reducing weeding time, cleanup and edging. Pine Straw decomposes slowly over time. Approximately 1/3 of the initial application rate (1 inch of material) is required each year to maintain depth and revitalize the colour. SOME NUTRIENT VALUEAs pine straw breaks down, it releases organic matter. Pine straw contains low levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium. ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER ORGANIC MULCHESStability Pine
needles interlock and hold together during hard rains, heavy winds, and
even on landscape with considerable slopes. Pine straw doesn’t float
and wash out of beds like wood mulches.
This helps keep walkway’s cleaner further reducing maintenance
efforts. Porosity
Pine straw remains loose and friable and does not form a top crust like grass clippings, leaves and some wood mulches. Loose mulch allows water to infiltrate readily into the soil for plant availability and avoids wasteful runoff of irrigation. The large air pockets, however, help prevent it from remaining excessively wet and damaging roots. Weed
Control, Maintenance Costs Pine straw greatly reduces weed control efforts as wood mulches have a higher tendency to import weed seed in an ideal seedbed for germination. Pine straw around trees reduces the need to use string trimmers (“weed-eaters”) around the base of each tree. This reduces maintenance costs, but also prevents plant death from girdling wounds caused by the trimmer. Visual
Appeal The
fine texture and uniform colour of pine straw is simply more
aesthetically pleasing to some users.
The non-detracting, earthly façade brings out the colour,
contrast and texture of landscapes. Pine Straw also prevents plants, flowers and fruit from
becoming splashed with mud. Added
annually it gives landscape a fresh clean and renewed appearance. Pine Straw changes a rich auburn colour when wet. Longevity Pine Straw breaks down more slowly than wood mulch, so it needs to be re-applied less often. Lightweight Pine Straw is easily handled because of its lightweight.
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