Question
Is it ok to use pine straw in a bed of roses for cover and to keep in moister. Southern Alabama 100 miles north of gulf of mexico. Thank U

Answer
Pine needles got a bad rap a few years ago because it was found that they exude a substance from their resin,  that inhibits the growth of seeds. So gardeners were afraid to put it on their bed because they wanted flower seeds to grow. That has been disproved in current research which states that the Terpenes are short lived because they disolve in water and evaporate in air. The fungal properties actually help when you use them on roses as they kill many fungus problems before they start. So using pines needles or straw, makes for a very good mulch for roses.