Pine Forest-What to Do?

[scodemike]

I am looking for suggestions on what to do, if anything. We live on 5 acres that are heavy pine forest and I am wondering if I should bother cleaning up the pine cones and needles?

In some areas I have a carpet of pine needles several inches thick. I have been told by different people to leave it alone and others to rake it all up and dispose of it. None of my neighbors bother cleaning their property, except one elderly gentleman who hand rakes his twice a year, he is bored.

My next question is what would be the proper rake behind to my JD3320 if I were to clear the property?

Any and all opinions would be appreciated. Mike

 

[Egon]

What happens to the pine needles in a natural Forrest??

 

[scodemike]

That was kind of my thought. I guess I was wondering if it was something to even think about doing, not that I really want to.

 

[GT2]

This is of interest to me as well.
I Know very little about the subject, but I just read an article by the Idaho natural resources / or something Dept.
They say their leaning toward " dry conifer forests" , which would seem to mean clean up the mess.
There was some talk about how in the past small wild fires would clean up the forest floor, but with the intervention of man that wasn't happening any more so the floors are getting too much debris and when there is a fire it gets out of control.
I'm definitely not an expert, but up to this point I was told to let it lie.

 

[ToadHill]

Pine needles will acidify the soil and a lot of plants won't grow in acid soil so when you let the needles decompose on the forest floor it tends to keep unwanted vegitation down.

 

[scodemike]

I definitely don't have a weed problem. The flip side of that is I probably can't have a small area with sod, because the trees are also close too the house. I hate to take out trees just for a small lawn I can live without. Did I say I hate to mow?

Since we moved in 5 years ago we have removed some 50 trees, half were to make room for the shop and drive. The remainder were due to beetle kill and heavy wet snow downing a dozen of them.

I guess I was trying to come up with more seat time!

 

[dangerdoc]

Pine needles will acidify the soil and a lot of plants won't grow in acid soil so when you let the needles decompose on the forest floor it tends to keep unwanted vegitation down.

That's what I was thinking. I have mixed hardwoods on my property, I don't even think about going into them during the warm months, brush up to my armpits and critters waiting to suck my blood.

I would love to have pines with needle mulch thick enough to keep the brush at bay. Unfortunately, pine is not native here and a blight comes through ever so often and kills the pines that are planted.

To the OP, enjoy the pines and the mulch they make. If I raked any, it would be to collect pine mulch to use somewhere else.

 

[Egon]

As a side thought there may be a market for pine needles? There is equipment for baling Pine needles.

 

[Wheatland KB]

As a side thought there may be a market for pine needles? There is equipment for baling Pine needles.

Good thinking.

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[newbury]

If you can safely do some small SAFE CONTROLLED burns you would probably improve everything.