Pine nettles spell trouble

[El Diablo]

I have a ton of pine trees in my front yard. Now is the time of year they start to drop nettles in earnest. My driveway slopes upwards somewhat from the street and then flattens out. My mail box is on the side of the drive just before it flattens out.

I was coming home from work yesterday and was turning into my drive. I was moving just a little quicker than I normally would because there was a car behind me. About the time I turned I though I would stop and get the mail. Well, the drive was covered in freshly dropped pine nettles and when I applied the breaks, the bike slid on the nettles. If it hadn't been for the monkey grass which lines the drive, I probably would have slid into the mailbox. I was fine, the bike was fine, I was just a little sideways and holding up the bike up to keep it from falling over. I righted myself and pulled on up into the drive, got off the bike and went and got the mail. It was scary only for a moment but I learned a lesson about pine nettles that I thought I would pass along.

[Magnar Infectus]

Hmm.. interesting. Hadn't thought about pine trees being killers. Luckly floridians are killing off all of our pine trees, so in a few years they won't be an issue.

[music man]

How are Floridians killing off the pine trees?? And even if they are trust me Arkansas is killing off enough Hardwood, and Planting enough Pine trees in their place to make up for any you guys kill off.


Later

[Sarris]

Yeah man, pine needles can scare the crap outta you. The babies are slick. Also, fallen leaves in autumn are slick too. we don't have many fallen leaves in Florida, but we damn sure have a herd of pine trees. I did the same thing as you about 20 years ago and I've never forgotten the experience. Some folks say it's like ice, but I personally have never experienced an icy road so I can't vouch for the comparison.

Glad you and the bike are OK. Another very valuable life lesson.

:chop:

[Magnar Infectus]

Florida builders cut every one down every one they see, and replace them with cabbage palms.
People pick up all the nettles (ive always called them needles) from their yards and put them in the landfilll. From what I understand the pine trees recycle the minerals/nutrients in the nettles when they decompose into the ground. Removing the nettles robs the tree of this ability causing it not to be as healty and possibley killing it. (I'm not 100% sure about this one)
Then theres the pine borer beetles, but Floridians aren't responsible for those.

[5th_bike]

From what I understand the pine trees recycle the minerals/nutrients in the nettles when they decompose into the ground. Removing the nettles robs the tree of this ability causing it not to be as healty and possibley killing it. (I'm not 100% sure about this one)
Then theres the pine borer beetles, but Floridians aren't responsible for those.
You're right about the benefits of the decomposing needles, it's just that pine needles break down slowly compared to 'regular' tree leaves. They take 10 years or so. And the tree may not die if you remove the needles, just starve and thirst, but live.
After swiping up grass clippings and leaves from our yard for two years, and having to fertilize it thereafter, I figured better leave everything where it drops. Just mow the leaves over. Haven't had to fertilize since (7 years ago).

Oops, going off topic again, um slippery pine needles, never went on them, just went on ice with the Puch a couple times when I was young. Fun. :)

[Comike14]

Glad you're alright buddy. Yeah, here in Va. we have plenty of pine needles AND deciduous leaves that fall this time of year. They don't even need to be wet to cause a skid, either.