Looking for a mulcher for pine needles etc

[Dmac1]

I've owned a JD Z445 (zero turn mower) for about 15 years and have just used regular blades and side discharge to cut our grass around the house and a couple times per year, I mow the field, which has various Colorado native weeds and which, this time of year, gets alot of ponderosa pine needles cuz we have alotta big trees. I see that JD sells a mulching blade for the 445, but it sounds more like its intended for grass and I'm not sure if it'll do much to the pine needles, which is what I'm seeking a blade & kit or a different machine, to do. Anybody try that blade?

For years, I've been raking the pine needles bit by bit, but the trash service has decided they don't wanna haul off a few cans per week of em, so I'm looking for a different way of getting rid of them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Note- I've also got a JD 3520 tractor with a bucket on front and a Landpride manual blade on the rear, but IDK if that machine will help in this regard even if I got a mower for it.

Thanks.

 

[RjCorazza]

High lift blades do better with pine needles than standard mulching blades. I use Gator mulching blades that have some lift, and they generally handle pine needles that are dry.

 

[grsthegreat]

I ended up having to purchase a cyclone rake to tow behind my mower for pine needles and pine cones. I have so many dam* pine trees…it drives me nuts

 

[EricW]

I ended up having to purchase a cyclone rake to tow behind my mower for pine needles and pine cones. I have so many dam* pine trees…it drives me nuts

Cyclone Rakes are awesome, I love mine.

 

[oosik]

I have never mulched my pine needles. I rake them into rows and collect and carry them off with my grapple. They end up in my burn pile and will burn after a period of drying.

 

[HammerGrips]

I've owned a JD Z445 (zero turn mower) for about 15 years and have just used regular blades and side discharge to cut our grass around the house and a couple times per year, I mow the field, which has various Colorado native weeds and which, this time of year, gets alot of ponderosa pine needles cuz we have alotta big trees. I see that JD sells a mulching blade for the 445, but it sounds more like its intended for grass and I'm not sure if it'll do much to the pine needles, which is what I'm seeking a blade & kit or a different machine, to do. Anybody try that blade?

For years, I've been raking the pine needles bit by bit, but the trash service has decided they don't wanna haul off a few cans per week of em, so I'm looking for a different way of getting rid of them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Note- I've also got a JD 3520 tractor with a bucket on front and a Landpride manual blade on the rear, but IDK if that machine will help in this regard even if I got a mower for it.

Thanks.

I don't get it, why get rid of pine needles?

 

[grsthegreat]

I don't get it, why get rid of pine needles?

Cause they SUCK. We had 2 wind storms over past few days. Have MILLIONS of pine needles and pine cones everywheres. I already put up all equipment for the winter, so will deal with it next year. Its covered half my lawn and all of my driveway.

 

[oldnslo]

I don't get it, why get rid of pine needles?

Just like leaves it Depends on how many you have. I have a row of white pines that shed and some years they cover the lawn like a carpet and smother the grass other years just a few needles.

 

[John0829]

I would like to leave the pine needle carpet under our trees since the grass barely grows under the pines anyway. Problem is all the oak and maple leaves that get mixed in with the pine needles makes things look bad so they get cleaned up each year and used for mulch around other places/things.

 

[nyone]

Just go around in a circle around the tree starting far away and getting closer, blowing all the stuff inward and under the tree. Or you can put a mulching plug in and just mow.

I live in the northeast and have a few acres with lots and lot of maple trees and white pine. I only leaf blow off my driveway. Everything gets mulched in. I have a bobcat ZTR with a mulching plug. No special blades needed.

 

[tradosaurus]

I use a pine needle rake behind my tractor.
Rake into piles and use grapple to drag to a burn pile.

 

[Torvy]

Rake them and bale them. Pine needles bales get sold in stores for mulch.

Pine needles are better than leaves. They lay flatter and don't blow away as easily. They also do a better job of keeping small weeds from emerging.

 

[jyoutz]

I have never mulched my pine needles. I rake them into rows and collect and carry them off with my grapple. They end up in my burn pile and will burn after a period of drying.

That’s the best solution because they don’t decompose very fast even after being mulched. Then they smother the grass and make a good wildfire carrier.

 

[jyoutz]

Rake them and bale them. Pine needles bales get sold in stores for mulch.

Pine needles are better than leaves. They lay flatter and don't blow away as easily. They also do a better job of keeping small weeds from emerging.

That is true for planting beds. But nobody bales ponderosa pine needles like they do for longleaf pine needles in the southeast. They aren’t a popular mulch in the West like they are in the Southeast. The drier climate means that they don’t decompose for many years.

 

[oosik]

All I have on my property is Ponderosa pine. I only rake and gather the lawns. Otherwise - the needles will choke-out the lawn.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I think you're out of luck on finding a mower blade that mulches pine needles. I've tried a few including Predators'., Hig Lift, etc.. About all they do is to move the needles around. Chop them up? Nope. For 'gone', I think you're looking at raking and hauling.
Personally, I've learned to like pine needles somewhat. They're great for pathway covering, flower beds, blueberry tree groves, and floor covering for just about any animal bedding.
We see more yard-guys driving around pulling trailer-loads of pine needles to distribute to customers for flower beds and tree surrounds. I suspect there's better money in that than in mowing grass.
We, here in mid-Georgia, have a full plate load of pine trees, of every variety. We, naturally, also have a plate load of pine needles every year. We've simply learned that they're a part of the local environment and learned to enjoy them as if they were here before we were. Now..., if we could find some way to turn this red clay soil into nice black loam dirt, we'd be whistling Dixie. hmmm - well, I suppose we already are!