About 50% of our lot was thick with mostly pine trees under which was
left as a natural area. We just had all the pines removed leaving only
a small amount of hardwoods. Now we are left with some large open
natural areas full of pine needles, leaves and big mounds of pine mulch
from the stump grinding.

We plan to do a lot of landscaping and put in a garden now that we get
enough sunlight to grow more than just mushrooms and moss. But I'm
wondering what the best first step is to convert the natural areas to
productive growing soil. My wife thinks we should just spread out the
mounds of pine mulch and mix it with the natural debris. But I'm
worried that all the pine needles will leave a soil that is much too
acidic. I'm thinking we should rake up all the pine needles first.

I would appreciate any advice or pointers to information about what to
do in a situation like this.

TriangleGuy wrote:

We plan to do a lot of landscaping and put in a garden now that we get
enough sunlight to grow more than just mushrooms and moss. But I'm
wondering what the best first step is to convert the natural areas to
productive growing soil. My wife thinks we should just spread out the
mounds of pine mulch and mix it with the natural debris. But I'm
worried that all the pine needles will leave a soil that is much too
acidic. I'm thinking we should rake up all the pine needles first.

I would appreciate any advice or pointers to information about what to
do in a situation like this.

A couple of things. First, acidification is temporary, disappearing as
the mulch
turns into soil. Second, mixed green/brown debris (fresh needles with
wood
chips) are less acidic than pine needles by themselves. Third, wood
chips alone
are themselves acidic but last muchlonger than needles. I would do as
your wife
says. It is never a good idea to decrease the organic content of the
soil. If you have
access to wood ash (if you know someone with a wood stove),
that is a cheap way to increase pH instantly (it also has K, some P and
most
micronutrients). This said, most shrubs and trees will like just a
thick layer of the mulch
you have now. Wood ash will help in areas that you plan to turn into
lawn, for a few
selected flowers, and for about half the vegetables you may think of.

For example, my front flower bed received one foot of pine wood chips
over the
first three years, and now for 8 years has received only the leaves
that fall on it in
autumn. I add wood ash in the three iris patches but otherwise never do
anything to it.
My kiwis, grapes, japanese maple and chestnuts get a few inches of wood
chips most
years. If you can not get wood ash (which incidentally should be
applied during the dormant
season, because it can kill plants in large amounts) get some lime.

With the pine needles in there, which are not only acidic but prevent
germination, you might not
be able to seed the lawn until september, when most needles will have
decayed.
Weed seeds will not germinate either. But september is the proper time
anyway, since spring
seeding is never as good as fall seeding, at least here.

TriangleGuy wrote:
About 50% of our lot was thick with mostly pine trees under which was
left as a natural area. We just had all the pines removed leaving only
a small amount of hardwoods. Now we are left with some large open
natural areas full of pine needles, leaves and big mounds of pine mulch
from the stump grinding.

We plan to do a lot of landscaping and put in a garden now that we get
enough sunlight to grow more than just mushrooms and moss. But I'm
wondering what the best first step is to convert the natural areas to
productive growing soil. My wife thinks we should just spread out the
mounds of pine mulch and mix it with the natural debris. But I'm
worried that all the pine needles will leave a soil that is much too
acidic. I'm thinking we should rake up all the pine needles first.

I would appreciate any advice or pointers to information about what to
do in a situation like this.

Pine needles will have a minimal effect on soil pH.

Raw sawdust and wood chips will take time (and nitrogen) to decompose.
If you mix them up with soil and leave and leave them for a year, all will
be well. If you have raw wood chips around newly-planted plants, they
will hog the nitrogen. (Various state highway departments have found out
the hard way that mulching with fresh wood mulch can kill great swaths of
plantings.)

Don't mulch too heavily in the root zones of the remaining deciduous
trees. Feeder roots need oxygen and too heavy a mulch layer (4" and up)
can choke them. It depends on the type and age of the tree, but in general
feeder roots extend well beyond the tree's dripline.

Find out more about your soil:

- If you are on a natural forest soil, it is likely to be a fairly poor
soil. Anything you can do to increase the organic matter content is a
Good Thing. The lighter the soil color, the less organic matter it
contains.

- Dig in several places. No earthworms? Soil is poor in organic matter
and/or compacted. Sandy soils are also not so appealing to earthworms.

- Do a soil test (multiple locations) or have one done. Soil pH can be a
real bear to modify, so you may just want to go with plants that naturally
prefer what you already have.

- If you have a local source of composted manure or landscape recycling
compost, invest up front and add as much of it as you can afford. You'll
never be sorry.

Cheers!

-- Karen

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Thanks for the help everyone. Happy gardening!