Question
I recently repotted several containers of sarracenia. I have always used sphagnum moss as a topdressing and mulch. My question is can pine needles be used as a topdressing instead of the sphagnum  moss?

Answer
Hi Brad,

You can.  Pine needles are very acidic, so it doesn't harm them.  Pine needles are common on the ground in the edges of the savannahs where Sarracenia grow.  Darlingtonia also have pine trees all around them.  We often recommend pine straw as a winter mulch since it is very available in the eastern U.S.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com