The Effect of Pine Straw on Strawberry Plants

Strawberry Basics

• Deep, well-drained, sandy loam that's rich in organic matter is ideal for strawberries. Good drainage is crucial, so avoid soils that remain soggy late in spring. An optimal planting site is in full sun and located on a slight slope, to drain cold air away from plants and prevent frost damage. Fully prepare soil before planting, to enhance levels of soil nutrients and organic matter and adjust soil pH if needed. Strawberries require somewhat acidic soil, with a pH of between 5.8 and 6.2.

Pine Mulch Basics

• Pine straw, mulch comprised of dried pine needles, creates a thick, protective mulch mat over plant roots but allows both water and air to permeate underlying soil. Sometimes combined with shredded pine cones, pine straw is an excellent mulch for evergreens, strawberries and other plants that need acidic soils. The ideal mulching depth is generally 2 to 3 inches.

Soil Structure

• Pine straw mulch, like other organic mulches, will decompose over time due to contact with soil and organic matter. This helps the soil's overall structure--or the arrangement of soil particles--by improving the aeration for clay loam or silt soils and increasing the water-holding capacity of sandy soils. Pine mulch improves and stabilizes soil structure also by reducing soil compaction due to rain, irrigation and the weight of people or vehicles.

Soil Acidity

• Selecting an acidic mulch such as pine straw helps maintain the acidic soil pH that strawberries require. If soil for growing strawberries needs to become more acidic--with a pH less than 7.0--then the regular use of pine, oak and sphagnum peat moss products will help acidify the soil's surface layers. But if strawberry soil is too acidic, incorporating compost into the soil will make it somewhat more alkaline.

Soil Nutrients

• When pine straw and other organic mulches break down, contributing organic matter for soil, nutrients useful for plants are also released but in minute quantities. In fact, high-carbon organic matter, whether incorporated into the soil or used as mulch, actually requires the addition of nitrogen, to feed the microorganisms essential for decomposition. The general guide for fertilizing at mulching is to add 1 to 2 lbs. of nitrogen, whether synthetic or organic, per 1,000 square feet of planting area.