Garden

[sfnative]

My SF grandmother used to place a pile of Monterey Pine needles beneath each of her Rhodies and they always looked and bloomed beautifully.  I've also read of this practice.  Now that today is Wednesday, the day prior to our landscape crew arrival for their once a week tasks, I've finally convinced my husband to go out and grab a pail full of pine needles and lay them down under our one and only Rhodie.

What I cannot recall is how often the needles should be changed out and replaced.  Can't seem to locate that information.  Can anyone help?  Thanks so much!

[JustJazzmom]

If you can get a soil sample first around the rhodies before applying the needles. You might already have acidic enough soil for them to access the fertilizer better. Go about 4 inches below the soil surface to take your samples and test either with a home kit from a large nursery or take it to your local cooperative extension where they will do it for free or a small fee.

If the soil isn't acidic enough, I would mix the needles into the soil so they decompose faster. Test your soil again in the spring and adjust accordingly with sulfur or aluminum sulfate.

[sfnative]

@JustJazzmom

Thanks so much for the advice.

(I'm on the Landscape Committee at our townhome community, which is part of our HOA.  Our co-Chairwomen both practice this on their rhodies; i.e., surface application only.  Still hoping to get an answer re length of time before replacing.  Apparently, in our area, surface application is just fine.)

[Carmie]

I just use some white pine needles as mulch around my Rhododendrun and azaleas.  I just replace it as needed every year. They are great for acid living plants.

I don't do anything special nor feed them with an fertilizer and mine are beautiful.

[software]

It completely depends on the pH of your soil

You won't get any better information than given by @JustJazzmom

There's not 1 good answer for everyone.

If your soil is the proper pH, then once a year could be OK.

Azaleas are in the same family, they need the slight acid soil to flourish

The answer to your question is in your soil, not here.

@sfnative

[Nightowlz]

I looked online & it basically says they decompose slowly. Does not sound like it's changed out but some added to it as it decomposes. They don't provide any acidity as long as it takes to decompose. It says to have a 2-4" layer & no more. Says more then 4" provides an interlocking turtle shell effect that sheds water away from your plants. They are also flammable so if you live some place like Ca that has fires a lot to use a safer choice like bark or cedar chips.

[BirkiLady]

Is cedar mulch acidic? 2018 was the first year I have ever used mulch . . . and I used cedar mulch. But my soil is fine just the way it is! I don't want to change it to more acidic. Have I done something terribly wrong? Or, wasn't I paying attention in those Master Gardener's classes when soil, mulches, etc. was being taught (several different times over the years). <face palm>

[JustJazzmom]

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@BirkiLady wrote:

Is cedar mulch acidic? 2018 was the first year I have ever used mulch . . . and I used cedar mulch. But my soil is fine just the way it is! I don't want to change it to more acidic. Have I done something terribly wrong? Or, wasn't I paying attention in those Master Gardener's classes when soil, mulches, etc. was being taught (several different times over the years). <face palm>

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The only thing I can suggest is monitor the pH of your soil with the mulch — check the pH every 6 months? Adjust accordingly if needed.

I do know pine needles are naturally acidic as is compost. 

Cedar mulch is sometimes used as an insect deterrent.  

[BirkiLady]

@JustJazzmomThat's why I didn't use pine needles and selected the cedar mulch over other wood products available. I've never used mulch and was afraid of harboring spiders and other creapy-crawly things which I didn't care to encounter with my bare hands (seldom use gloves). It was also the only mulch that was not dyed.

Really try to live as naturally as possible and couldn't fathom having black, brown or red mulch when our own soil is rich, black Nebraska dirt which raises some of the best crops in the country!  

ETA: I may let the mulch disintegrate into the soil. At least it certainly made the soil moved (from other parts of the yard) into my raised beds easily workable.  

[JustJazzmom]

As long as you don’t pile the mulch (any mulch) against trees, shrubs & perennials. When people ‘volcano’ their mulch, it could keep the bark moist & act as a habitat for vermin to reside or chew into that softened bark. 

Allow at least a gap of 4” from your shrubs & trees & no more than a 3” layer of mulch. 

Usually when I apply mulch I first weed if necessary & then apply some Preen (a weed germination preventer) on top of the soil or older mulch & then add the newer mulch. I hate to weed! 

Mulch does many things — keeps soil temps even, acts as a weed block, feeds nitrogen to the plants as it breaks down & it allows you to water less frequently.