Around here, Lowes and Home Depot carry pine straw year round. You can replace it anytime you like but I find it easier when the flowers are gone and the perennials have died back.
The important thing to remember is to not put your pine straw or any other mulch right up to the trunk/base of the tree or shrub. Leave about a 4-6" open area there to deter bugs and voles chewing the bark over the winter.

Don't replace it! Just put fresh on top. The old stuff breaks down and helps your soil.

Thanks y'all.

And I strongly advise that you 'shop around' for your pine straw. We were prepared to purchase a truck load last year from Lowe's but when we saw it, we said, " thanks but NO THANKS!" and drove away. The bales were puny, loosely packed, and the straw was powdery and stale. We found some at a locally owned garden center....cost more per bale but what a difference in quality! I could carry two bales of the Lowe's stuff in one hand and could barely handle one of the other with both hands. Which bale do you think would have covered more area?

Mind you, that experience may be unique to this Lowe's and maybe even to that one shipment of straw....but I strongly advise that you look for quality, size and weight of the bale. ;-)

Replace Pinestraw???? YIKES. I havent done that in 30 years. It just keeps feeding my earthworms and making my beds blacker. The only excepting are my rose beds.
In the fall, I drive around some choice neighborhoods and find all the extra straw I need and load up my pickup. It's good and fresh with no pine cones or trash. I don't have to look to far because it is all over in my area.
Use your time to do other things like weeding or just enjoying your yard.

A very good point is made above. The best pine straw is FRESH. Probably the worst time of year to lay on a new layer is now, when it will be last fall's crop.

Oh my goodness. That's a good point about shopping around for pinestraw. Last November I went to Lowes and bought some (not knowing better than to shop around) and my bales were so stale and hard to break apart and appeared just old. I ran out so went to Home Depot the next time and there was so much difference in the quality.

I might just do that....take my SUV and go find some desserted road with a fresh coat of pinestraw. I know my mom gets up early in the morning in her neighborhood and rakes straw in the streets. She's known as the straw lady. My neighborhood doesn't have so many pine trees, but maybe I'll drive around and find some or at least shop around. Thanks so much for info. I think I'll wait until fresh. Very good point.

The only problem with raking your own, while free, is that a truckload of raked straw does not anywhere near equal a truckload of baled straw. Baled straw tends to be much more compacted.

But, if you have the time to go and rake several loads, go for it.

I prefer, like mentioned above, to go around and pick up the stuff that folks have already raked for me. They often have it nicely bagged up too. :)