Pine cones from the forest as mulch? Why not? You’ll save money

Mulching has literally become all the rage lately. Many of us are trying to use mulch in various ways. There are plenty of different materials to choose from that can work well as mulch. Traditionally, hay, wood chips, and other materials are used. You have to pay for all of them, and you also have to go out and get them. Pine cones, on the other hand, are different. They work wonderfully as mulch. All you have to do is take a trip to the forest and collect as many as you need. What are the benefits of pine cones, and how can you use them?

Pine cones retain moisture

Pine cones can create an excellent layer of mulch that won’t let you down. They’re absolutely great at retaining moisture. If you spread them around fruit trees or shrubs, you definitely won’t go wrong. Pine cones are ideal for such berry-bearing plants. But they don’t just act as a natural moisture reservoir.

Tip: Good job. Mulching with grass clippings.

Weed suppression is a given

The relatively dense pine cones also form a layer that effectively blocks weeds from growing through. This saves you the effort and time you’d otherwise have to spend weeding various garden beds and areas near your crops.

Photo: Pixabay

Pests don’t like pine cones

Another significant benefit of pine cones: they have relatively sharp edges that slugs and snails definitely don’t like. Often, all it takes is scattering just a few pine cones in places where they typically congregate. Visually, pine cones certainly won’t disappoint—quite the opposite.

Effective pine cone barriers

If you go out to collect pinecones, make sure you gather clean ones that don’t contain any insect remains or weeds.The ideal approach is to create a barrier around the plants you want to protect. Simply bury the pinecones to a depth of about 5 cm.

Sources: Author, https://ekolist.cz/cz/publicistika/priroda/zkusme-zakladat-nove-lesy-jinak-2,https://www.ceskestavby.cz/clanky/pro-a-proti-mulce-z-jehlici-kdy-se-vam-v-zahrade-opravdu-vyplati-31372.html

Preview photo: Pixabay