Is Pine Straw Suitable To Deter Weeds When First Planting A Ground Cover, And Do I Just Pull It Back Further As The Plants Grow An

Question

d spread? If I have to clear all the waist-high grass and weeds from the steep bank behind my house in order to plant a variety of ground covers, I want to make sure to do it right the first time! 🙂 It’s too dangerous to mow, and I can barely use a string trimmer without tumbling down the bank, so am planning to add flowering bushes, small flowering trees, iris and daffodils, and a variety of ground covers so it’s not one big mass. Thanks for any suggestions!

Answer 1

It really depends on the plants that you intend to plant. Many plants cannot tolerate the acidity that pine straw brings to the soil.

I recommend weed barrier cloth and mulch to avoid throwing the pH of the soil off.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/weed-barriers-in-gardens.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/mulch/benefits-of-using-mulch.htm

Answer 2

BushDoctor -- Interesting! I specifically asked about pine straw because I've seen it used (with plants) on slopes since it's supposed to stay in place and not slide like mulch. Will have to keep pondering because it's much too large an area for a barrier cloth. At this point just string trimming as high up as I can reach and leaving the grass to grow... lol Thanks for the input and the links!