Been using pine straw myself for a couple years now, and honestly, haven't noticed much acidity shift—plants seem pretty happy. But it does scatter more in strong winds, so edging or barriers might be necessary...just something to keep in mind.
"But it does scatter more in strong winds, so edging or barriers might be necessary...just something to keep in mind."
Yeah, definitely agree with you there—pine straw can be a bit tricky when the wind picks up. I ended up installing some simple edging last spring, and it's made a huge difference. Keeps things tidy without much hassle. And like you said about acidity, my hydrangeas haven't complained yet either, so I'm guessing it's not as big a deal as some folks make it out to be.
I've had similar experiences with pine straw—looks great, but man, it can get messy fast if you don't have something to hold it down. A couple years back, I tried using landscape fabric underneath to help with weeds and keep things tidy. Worked okay at first, but honestly, roots from nearby trees eventually poked through anyway. Ended up switching to a sturdier plastic edging barrier last fall, and that's been holding up way better.
Funny you mention acidity—I used to worry about that too, especially around my azaleas. But after a bit of research (and some trial and error), turns out it's really not as acidic as people think. My plants seem perfectly happy, and I haven't noticed any negative effects on soil pH.
One thing I'd add though: if you're dealing with aggressive tree roots, edging alone might not be enough long-term. I ended up trenching down about 12 inches and installing a root barrier membrane. Bit more work upfront, but totally worth it in the long run...no more surprise root invasions popping up in my flower beds.
"Ended up switching to a sturdier plastic edging barrier last fall, and that's been holding up way better."
Did you find the plastic edging easy to install? I've been thinking about something similar, but I'm always cautious about accidentally damaging tree roots or underground utilities when digging. Last summer, I tried using a shallow root barrier—only dug down about 6 inches—but it didn't do much good. Those stubborn roots just went right under it after a few months.
Also, interesting point about pine straw acidity. I used to worry it'd mess with my soil too, but like you said, seems like it's mostly just gardening folklore. Haven't noticed any issues myself either.
One question though: when you trenched down 12 inches for the membrane, did you run into any drainage problems afterward? I'm always hesitant to go too deep because I don't want water pooling near the foundation or causing other unexpected headaches...
Plastic edging's usually pretty forgiving if you're careful—just go slow and steady, especially near utilities. If drainage worries you, try angling your trench slightly away from the foundation. Worked wonders at my place... and no surprise swimming pools appeared afterward, thankfully.