Every year, I lose the battle with weeds in my garden.

I usually try straw, which ends up creating more weeds with its seeds (poetry!).

I'm not a big fan of the garden paper mulch.

I'd like to use pine needles as mulch, but I can' find anyone in the Mercer County area who stocks/says they can get them. I saw a garden show once where they were used - they don't sprout, last for several seasons and break down slowly.

If anyone has other ideas I'd like to hear them, and if anyone has a commercial source for a yard or two of pine needles in the Spring, I'd love to hear about that. And no, I don't have a pickup truck to come sweep them up from your trees ...

Andrew