Any uses for pine chips?

[KateC]

We had several huge pines looming over our little house and after a big windstorm this spring snapped some others in half nearby we finally had them professionally removed. Since we have a large lot we reluctantly agreed to keep custody of half the chippage---about 20 sq.yds.---ugh. I don't want to use any for mulch or compost as my soil is obviously too acidic as it is----we shovel some in when we have outdoor campfires but we'd like to make at least some other use of them before they all rot. Would a small amount of dry ones be alright to use in the stove, like in the morning to re-light the fire?

Any other suggestions, serious or otherwise (scarecrows? hedgehog bedding?) much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[DonCT]

You could probably make your own fire starters.

 

[KateC]

Could probably make enough to go into business---but no place to store all that wax! Might try a small bit for fun though.

 

[begreen]

garden mulch. Works well between the rows.

 

[jabush]

I've been using White pine chips in my landscape beds as well as around my trees for a couple seasons now with no ill effects. I think once the chips have dried there's not a whole lot of differencce between hdwd & stwd. Hdwd might last longer.

 

[KateC]

....20 sq.yds.--- soil is obviously too acidic as it is----

20 SQUARE yards?? or CUBIC yards?? or enough to cover 20 square yards to a specific depth??

What makes you think that your "soil is obviouly too acidic"?? Because pines were growing there?? I understood that that was a myth.....but maybe not.

You're right---CUBIC yds.---my bad.

I suspected the soil was acidic partly because of all the pine---also the moss that grows, and happy monster rhododendrons.
I confirmed with a soil test. I was in the horticulture business for 10 yrs. and managed greenhouses for 3 so even knew how to do it all by myself. :kiss:

 

[sstanis]

Burn'em. Every single year I purchase about 10 yds of pine nuggets. They sit on top of that weed-fabric that allows water to perculate into ground. so they are pretty dry. if they are just gonna look like crap next yr anyway, I just shovel them up into bags, punch some holes to allow for vaporation and store them in my barn. Currently burning the stuff from summer 2005 and am collecting the stuff from summer 2006

 

[KateC]

I honestly haven't thought much about it beyond assuming that all those needles and cones sitting on the lawn for years (previous owner of our house was an elderly widow and neglected the property) must impact the ph to at least some degree. We have alot of trouble getting grass to grow---it's also very sandy soil and could be sand would absorb the acids faster than clay?

We're also continuously landscaping the entire yard so besides any effect pine mulch may or may not have it's a royal PIA shuffling it all around every time I want to plant or move something.

 

[velvetfoot]

Maybe put an ad in the local paper and see if someone wants it.

 

[smirnov3]

I honestly haven't thought much about it beyond assuming that all those needles and cones sitting on the lawn for years (previous owner of our house was an elderly widow and neglected the property) must impact the ph to at least some degree. We have alot of trouble getting grass to grow---it's also very sandy soil and could be sand would absorb the acids faster than clay?

I've read that Pine needles / droppings are fairly acidic, and like you said, they do affect the ph of the soil. that's how pine trees kill off the competition.

go into a heavilly pined forest, and there is almost no undergrowth.

One thing I've wondered - are those pine ships small enough to feed into a pellet stove?

 

[KateC]

I honestly haven't thought much about it beyond assuming that all those needles and cones sitting on the lawn for years (previous owner of our house was an elderly widow and neglected the property) must impact the ph to at least some degree. We have alot of trouble getting grass to grow---it's also very sandy soil and could be sand would absorb the acids faster than clay?

I've read that Pine needles / droppings are fairly acidic, and like you said, they do affect the ph of the soil. that's how pine trees kill off the competition.

go into a heavilly pined forest, and there is almost no undergrowth.

One thing I've wondered - are those pine ships small enough to feed into a pellet stove?

Lack of undergrowth can also be contributed to the dense shade under the canopy and the smothering effect from the litter. In Dylan's case taking a sample from under the tree and one or more from elsewhere in the yard would be a good indicator and the results would be very interesting (at least to me).

The pellet-stove thing is not something I'd even hazard a guess at.