Q.yard debris in soil
I burned yard debris in my garden. This consisted of leaves, sticks and several wheelbarrow full of pine needles. Is this going to harm my soil for growing this summer? A friend stopped by and said this will sterilize my soil and it will not grow vegetables this summer.
Used correctly, wood ash can be good for your garden - the following article explains why:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/using-wood-ashes.htm
Next year, I would advise putting pine needles and leaves directly in a compost pile, which will save you time in having to burn them. You can read about composting pine needles and leaves here:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/ingredients/composting-pine-needles.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/ingredients/composting-leaves.htm