Topic: pine needles in compost

[Wrennie]

BF tried to tell me that pine needles ar no good in compost. He also told me one year we had too much and he was going to dump MY leaves in the woods. TOO MUCH!  If he can avoid picking up a rake he'll be happy. But who is the first to say lets grow tomatoes? Him. So anyone have opinions on pine needles? I know they're acidy, break down slower than herbacious leaves. I have time.....

[patches]

Wrennie, I always add my pine needles to my compost bins without any problems.  Of course, they just get shredded up along with my leaves and any of the grass that's left in the Fall.   

[duh]

they may if you add enough decrease the ph of the compost but it would have to be a whole lot of needles. 

you might remind your bf that as the leaves breakdown you will only have about 1/8 the volume you have when the leaves and grass are freshly added to the compost pile. 

[landofoz]

I've heard that pine needles make excellent mulch for tomatoes.  And unless you're putting in a whole ton of them - why not toss them in the compost.  It's the variety, after all, that makes compost most valuable to plants.

So give the man some options: either you bag them all and save them for next year, or toss them on the compost.  You're call, buddy.