Is fresh chipped pine mulch better with or w/o the needles?

[EddieF]

I have to take down 2 pine trees, one split & other's leaning.  Rather do it now then after a hurricane.
I plan on using the chips around my mangos, avocados & arecas.

Question- is there a up or downside using chipped branches & pine needles vs chips from trunks only?
If mix with chipped needles is better, i'll have garbage pails ready to shoot the branches w/needles in.

Thanks,
Ed

[spaugh]

I used a lot of it with needles and it has worked well.  Theres seems to be some internet myths being propagated by people who have never done this for themselves claiming pine mulch will harm your plants.  Ive used so many loads of tree trimmer mulch with all pine and never seen anything but good results. 

[pineislander]

If you are worried about pine or any other mulch just pile it up a while and let it cook and rot one rainy season.
This video discusses a simple bucket test on fresh chips which I haven't tried.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYYZuNjnvbk

[strom]

If you are worried about pine or any other mulch just pile it up a while and let it cook and rot one rainy season.
This video discusses a simple bucket test on fresh chips which I haven't tried.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYYZuNjnvbk

Fun video!  I always see instructions and videos describing the C:N ratio.. how exactly do they calculate this, and what unit of measurement (volume/weight) is used?

[EddieF]

I can't check N levels, i can check pH which i did the other day of uncolored no additives (so they say) pine bark nuggets from big box store.  Main reason for getting it was to put around my new mango trees to keep landscaper away.

I tested city water, added bark, tested again 20 min later.  I have to repeat this with bark from my pine tree.  I'll grab some off tree shortly.  I like how low pH got.  Save my sulfur.

[Tommyng]

My trees seem to do well with pine needles, my neighbors bag them up for me and I put them everywhere and trees thrive.

[EddieF]

I tested hand pruners which led to garbage pails of non bloom mango branches of all sizes.

I'll test actual bark from my tree tomorrow after soaking in water 20min & longer.
I retested pictured bark next morning & pH was way below range of test strip.
I put it around all my planted trees.  I hope mangos like acid.

[EddieF]

Tested bark from my old pine tree.
2 notes- it soaked almost twice as long as big box bark,
And mine is like those yummy flaky biscuits vs regular biscuits.  Perhaps bark under flaky layers is more like regular biscuits, i didn't have a chisel or screwdriver in hand.
To be accurate, they'd both have to be ground, weighed & soak for same time in water.

[EddieF]

And back to original question, don't know.  I'll probably make a chip pile of branches with needles & another from trunk.