Pine needles

I got my first bales of pine needles for mulch this morning. Our high school PTSA sells them for the spring fundraiser. They even deliver them. What's not to like?

I didn't grow up in the land of the long leaf pine, so I've always used shredded hardwood mulch. Since my front yard has three blueberry bushes and four azaleas, I decided I needed the more acid pine needles this year.

Things I learned:

• I love pine needles!  They smell good and they remind me of coastal piney woods. 
• They are so much easier than bark mulch to spread over large areas.  The bales are light, and I can spread by hand. I don't need a wheelbarrow, or pitchfork, or rake.  Yay!
• They're not as easy as bark mulch in areas where there are a lot of plants close together. It's difficult to get small amounts of the needles into small spaces. 
• I need to buy at least twice as many bales next year as I did this year.  

By the way, my college mentor, who grew up in eastern Virginia, called them pine tags. I don't think I've ever heard anyone else use that term, have you?