Clematis: Group 1 pruning?, 1 by pirl

pirl wrote:
Groundhogs are not good for gardeners!

I'm stunned and shocked at the prices I just saw for shredded pine needles!
http://shop.pinestraw.com/?gclid=CLrr-ZuZzL4CFe99OgodMjAAZA

Considering that you're in horse country, maybe some of the stores who provide supplies for the horses would have it or know where you could get it. We pay about $9.00 a bag for ours at a "feed store". We get from 30 to 50 bags and it lasts all year with some left over in case I get an early start on outdoor work in March. Here's the contents of a bag along with the address of the company that provides it to the store.

Marie - it's well worth the time investment and being under the pines would be cool on a warm day like today.