Using Pine Straw Bales
There are many reasons why pine straw is an excellent mulch and ground cover choice; but two common applications accelerated its popularity here in the Midwest. Here in the Ohio River Valley, it is very hilly. Contrary to popular perception, all of Ohio is not, (surprise!), flat farm land. This part of the state makes for beautiful landscapes, views, drives and offers a more comprehensive list of recreational activities. There are, though, unique challenges when considering property maintenance in Cincinnati.
When considering ground cover for hillsides, sloping yards and landscape beds, traditional hardwood mulch tends to wash away quickly during a good rain storm. Pine straw mulch gained popularity in our region as a viable solution to hillside ground cover and sloping landscape beds. In addition to the weed suppressing qualities, pine straw offers an attractive and all natural way to hold hillsides by interlocking and letting the water flow through, rather than washing away during rain storms. Just remember - when you are installing or spreading pine straw in these areas, you’ll want to work backwards in a way where you are not stepping on the fresh pine straw. It will be like ice-skating on a hillside if you try to walk on your new pine straw to much!
The other reason why pine straw gained in popularity here in the Midwest is because we love our dogs!! Yes, hilly areas and mature trees add to the picturesque beauty of our properties, but that comes with muddy and bare areas. As our dogs like to run and spend time outside, the seasons sometimes provide less than ideal ground conditions, which in turn, make their way back into the house. One effective solution for covering these areas is pine straw. Using pine straw to cover muddy spots, dog runs, or landscape beds where dogs like to venture into offers a carpet-like solution; the mud stays below and the paws remain clean!
Using pine straw bales gained in popularity here in the Midwest in large part because of these two reasons. There are now a host of reasons why pine straw is such an effective mulch and ground cover solution; we believe in providing quality pine straw at an affordable price.