Garden Ideas??

[Court]

Hello!

We have this in our backyard. The fence is our neighbors. They have pine trees that drop a lot of needles. We tried mulching but between our two larges trees and the pines the mulch just got covered in the fall. Raking took away most of the mulch. Does any one have any suggestions for what to do?

Mulch every year from scratch? Each year raking the mix of mulch, leaves and needles all up and starting again.

Just let the leaves and pine needles take over?

Shrub/bush ideas that would thrive in a lot of shade and hide some of the leaves and needles?

We live in Ohio.

 

[mgmine]

What I have found is that a power blower will blow away the leaves but not the mulch. At least not all the mulch once it has been down for a few years and gets established. It does take several years to get the mulch established. Unless you add mulch each year it doesn't look clean even without leaves being added to it.

 

[marlingardener]

I'd dearly love to have that problem with pine needles and shade! Actually, that area isn't a problem, it's a great opportunity for hostas, astilbe, Solomon's Seal, bleeding heart, and even annuals like coleus, begonias, cleome, and impatiens. There are lots of others, too.
Before you invest in plants, get the PH of the soil tested. The acidity (from the needles) will determine if some plants will do well in that spot. And of course let us know how it turns out!

 

[MaryMary]

mgmine, I've never used mulch, so I'm curious to know. If they decide to go with mulch, and it takes several years to get the mulch established, would it hasten the establishment to just lay down a double layer of mulch, and water it in every now and then? Get a jump on it?

Myself, I'd probably let nature take its course, and plant some woodland wildflowers there. For example, this is Hepatica. It is often called "The other first flower of spring." It was blooming in my flower bed up through the snow!! The picture is the plant I dug up and transplanted to my garden.

 

[MaryMary]

I don't know the name of this one, but I'll bet someone here does. Here's another little pretty that would grow through the leaves. But, referencing what marlingardener said, I don't know how it would do with the pine needles.

 

[mgmine]

mgmine, I've never used mulch, so I'm curious to know. If they decide to go with mulch, and it takes several years to get the mulch established, would it hasten the establishment to just lay down a double layer of mulch, and water it in every now and then? Get a jump on it?

Myself, I'd probably let nature take its course, and plant some woodland wildflowers there. For example, this is Hepatica. It is often called "The other first flower of spring." It was blooming in my flower bed up through the snow!! The picture is the plant I dug up and transplanted to my garden.



View attachment 13154

Well I guess that is how the mulch gets established. The thing is that besides all the water other things seem to take hold and and become entwined in it.Grass clippings and pine needles are two that come to mind. After a few years there is a mat that forms and keeps out the weeds. Even with mulch weeds can sprout so it's important in the first few years to weed.