Yes, there will be weeds. I put down layers and layers of newspaper (no shiny papers) or cardboard (no shiny cardboard) under the mulch, which helps keep weeds down. But the weeds eventually come through. I've learned to appreciate some of the wild flower "weeds" . I leave the fleabane, ageratum, asters and some of the spanish needle. Butterflies and bees love them!

How deep is the pine straw?

Unfortunately in South Florida we have weeds for every season. It's a year round crop! If you keep pulling at the weeds and mulch regularly , the weeds will diiminish over time. Also when your plants grow and shade out the surrounding soil, that will help too.

I think it is a combination of not having enough pine needles and it being a new bed with almost no plantings yet. I am going to start weeding with a hand hori hori and get more pine needles when i get back to the nursery. Which will be soon because I the weather is getting warm!

Yeah, in most instances (depending on the mulch material, of course,) finding the appropriate depth is the key. You'll always have some weeds (each region has its own tough species,) but a proper depth of the material in question should lower weeds by like 70% - 90%. Even then, maintaining a proper depth of organic mulches, like pine needles, will keep the ground so friable that all but the most pernicious of weeds are much easier to pull. Weeding will eventually become less and less of a 'must-do' constant chore, and more of... 'well, there's a weed, I'll pull it...' type thing.

I don't mulch heavily early in the season as I want the soil to warm up and get my roses and perennials growing! I never stop weeding; all winter I watch for anything that pops up.

rgreen is so right, weeding eventually becomes less and less. The key is to keep up and don't let those weeds go to seed! Many weeds produce seed almost right away, it's a survival strategy.

I figure it's THEM OR ME!

Update: I am having better luck after I started thickening the mulch with leaves from the yard. Some weeds are still getting through but I am not stressing about it anymore.

I use pine needles along my fence line. No more weed killer or line trimming. I use about 4”” thick on roughly 355 ft.