There's nothing new about it, but this is my first year to use pine straw mulch and I gotta say I'm more than pleased. In fact I will never go back to hardwood mulches. I envy those who have a stand of pine trees and

have free access to this wonderful resource.

Besides being a sustainable, renewable resource, it's so easy (lightweight) to work with and looks so attractive. Young seedlings can grow through it, water can filter down through it too, the soil can breathe and yet it still holds in moisture. It lasts longer than other materials and won't float away with the first heavy rain...and so on and so forth. I'm a happy camper...er..gardener!

Here's some further info -

Tx. Cooperative Extension:

Mulches

In addition to watering and fertilizing, nearly all plants grow better when they have a layer of mulch spread over their roots. Mulch will help protect the root system on cold winter days. Mulch also helps conserve water, prevents soil crusting, suppresses weeds and moderates fluctuations in soil temperature. Moreover, organic mulch provides valuable humus to soil as it is slowly broken down to beneficial microbes. Generally, a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch placed over the root zone of a plant will provide a noticeable difference in the plant's health. New plants that have mulch applied will establish better and faster. Established plants will show less stress and better growth. Just be sure to pull mulch an inch or two away from the stems of shrubs or from the trunks of trees. If mulch is piled up against trunks or stems, it can trap too much moisture and promote decay along the bark.

There are many types of mulches to choose from. One type, pine straw, comes from several different species of pine trees that drop their leaves (needles or straw) naturally throughout the year. Once the straw drops to the ground, it is baled, without ever cutting down a single tree. Since it is produced naturally, pine straw sometimes is refered to as the "guilt-free" mulch. Each species' of pine straw will have its own unique characteristics, such as needle length, wax content and needle flexibility. The Loblolly species of pine straw, for instance, has a needle length ranging from about six to nine inches, making it easy to apply and shape. Also, the needle size is optimum for allowing the soil to breathe well while allowing excellent water infiltration.

Pine straw bales are usually available in either round or square bales of varying weights and sizes. They are easy to carry and easy to store. Besides being produced naturally, pine straw mulch provides numerous garden and landscape health and beauty advantages. Some of the qualities of pine straw are:

Longevity - it doesn't float or wash away and breaks down more slowly, so it doesn't need to be reapplied as frequently

Lightweight - it is easier to handle and lighter per cubic foot than other mulches: one large bale can cover as much area as 30 cubic feet of most mulches!

Soil health - it doesn't compact, and allows for water infiltration

Simple - it is easy to apply: just unroll the bales and scatter by hand

Pest free - it doesn't attract termites

Plant health - it adds organic material and nutrients to soil and reduces weeds

Visually appealing - the uniform color and fine texture of pine straw brings out the color, contrast, and texture of your landscape

Erosion control - you can use it where grass won't grow to hold soil

Great for bird nests - used frequently for bird nests and bird houses

Grow Texan E-Zine

http://www.gotexan.org/gt/channel/render/items/0,1218,1670_19157_00,00.html

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In Veggie Gardens?

It can be used as mulch in your veggie garden around existing plants. Avoid using pine needles or "pine straw" if you plan to plant seeds in that area. There is a substance in the pine needles that inhibits germination - this makes it a great mulch because weed seeds will not germinate well. Also check your soil pH - if you have acid soil you may not want to use pine needles as they make the soil more acid.

See these pages for more details:

http://www.villagernursery.com/Reference/Articles/Pine_Needle_Compost.htm

http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/composting/pineneedles.asp

http://texaspinestraw.tamu.edu/pdfs/Pinestraw805-111.pdf

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1860

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Cypress vs. Pine Straw Controversy:

http://www.leugardens.org/pdfs/SUMMER00Mulch.pdf