What To Do With Pine Needles For Health, Beauty & More?

The pine tree is an evergreen plant in many regions of the world. Its needle leaves are beneficial ingredients for our health, beauty, home, and garden. We can use this kind of plant leaf in various ways to enjoy all the valuable rewards from this plant. Learn what to do with pine needles when you have a pine tree in your garden.

What To Do With Pine Needles For Health, Beauty & More?

I. What To Do With Pine Needles In The Kitchen?

Pine needles are great ingredients in many recipes with direct and indirect presence in dishes. Here are the best uses of pine needle leaves in your kitchen.

1.1. Herbal Tea

A cup of herbal tea from dried pine needle leaves is an ideal starter drink for your day. White pine needles pack tons of health benefits for consumers. Follow these steps to make a quick but healthy pine needle herbal tea.

1. Add a tablespoon or ⅓ cup of dried white pine needle tea into a teapot. 
2. Pour 2 cups of water into the teapot and boil it.
3. Steep pine needle leaves for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Strain the tea to remove leaves and serve it warm.

You should drink this tea after doing exercises for weight loss effects. This herbal tea has a delightful citrus flavor and various health benefits.

1.2. Pine-Infused Vinegar & Cooking Oil 

Vinegar and cooking oil are two common cooking ingredients in any kitchen. You can try infusing pine needles into these two ingredients to add their aroma and nutrients. Check out the following guide.

1. Collect and rinse needle leaves to remove dirt and sand.
2. Let them dry.
3. Put 1/3 cup of these leaves in an 8-oz jar.
4. Fill the jar with white balsamic vinegar and close the lid. When infusing Eastern White Pine Needle in olive, avocado, or grape-seed oils, you must heat the cooking oil over low heat in a saucepan.
5. Let it steep in 2 - 3 weeks.
6. Strain them to remove the leave.

Then, you will get aromatic vinegar and oil for your salads, soups, marinades, or baked fish. In addition, its leaf can add flavor to cookies, smoked fish, meat, grilled chicken, and seafood.

II. What To Do With Pine Needles For Health & Beauty?

Pine needles are rich in vitamin C and anti-inflammation properties. You can use them in the following recipes for health and beauty.

2.1. Cough Syrup

You can make a do-it-yourself (DIY) pine needle syrup to treat cough and sore throat safely and effectively. Here is a step-by-step instruction. 

1. Rinse 1/4 of fresh pine leaves or two tablespoons of dried leaves.
2. Chop them into small pieces.
3. Boil them in a cup of water in a saucepan. Lower the heat and simmer it for about 20 minutes.
4. Strain the mixture and pour it into a clean saucepan.
5. Add a cup of honey to the saucepan and stir until it dissolves.
6. Cook the syrup over low heat and stir it occasionally with a spoon until it thickens and coats the back of the spoon. It often takes about 15-20 minutes.

This herbal syrup has a pleasant aroma and sweet taste. Therefore, your kids will love it. 

2.2. Foot Soak 

A hot foot soak will make your feet relax after a hard-working day. Here’s how to make a DIY foot soak for your family.

1. Rinse and chop 1/2 cup fresh or dried pine needles into small pieces.
2. Boil them in 4 cups of water.
3. Then, turn off the heat.
4. Let the solution cool for a few minutes.
5. Strain the liquid into a basin or foot spa.
6. Add ½ cup of Epsom salt and optional essential oil into the food soak and stir until dissolved.
7. Soak your feet in the mixture for 20-30 minutes, then pat dry with a towel.
8. Apply your favorite foot cream for extra hydration.

2.3. Facial Steam

Pine needles have various benefits for our skin. Note down the following steps to make DIY facial steam at home.

1. Rinse ¼ cup of fresh pine leaves and chop them into small pieces.
2. Boil them in 4 cups of water in a pot.
3. Once boiling, remove from heat and drape a towel over your head and the solution container to create a tent.
4. Lower your face to the container and inhale the steam deeply for 10-15 minutes, taking breaks as needed.
5. Discard the pine leaves and the remaining liquid.
6. Rinse your face with cool water and apply your favorite moisturizer.

Herbal facial steam is a safe way to keep your skin beautiful and healthy.

III. What To Do With Pine Needles For Home & Garden?

There are many ways to use these plant leaves for your house and garden. Just see the best uses here.

3.1. Air Freshener

Making an air freshener with pine needles helps create a fresh and relaxing atmosphere in your house. You can make an easy air freshener from available ingredients in your garden and kitchen, such as vodka or rubbing alcohol and essential oils.

Then, follow these steps to make a DIY air fresher for your house. 

1. Rinse and chop 2 cups of fresh or dried pine leaves into small pieces.
2. Boil them in 2 cups water.
3. Lower heat when it boils and simmer for about half an hour.
4. Let the mixture cool completely, then strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pine needles.
5. Add ¼ cup of vodka or rubbing alcohol to the liquid and stir well.
6. Add 10-20 drops of essential oil and stir.
7. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Shake it well before spraying.
8. Spritz the air freshener around your home to add a refreshing pine scent. 

It would be best to store the air freshener in a cool, dark place. Then you can use it for a few weeks.

3.2. Soil Mulch 

When you grow some pine trees in your garden, use their leaves for soil mulch according to the following steps:

1. Collect clean, dry pine needles. Avoid using any leaves that have been treated with chemicals or have mold.
2. Spread a plant layer over the soil bed around your plants or garden beds.
3. Keep the pine leaf layer no thicker than 2-3 inches to avoid blocking moisture and air from reaching the soil.
4. Over time, the leaves will decompose, adding organic matter to your garden, suppressing weed growth, and improving moisture retention.
5. Refresh the mulch layer with new pine needles every few months for the best results.

3.3. Pine Needle Compost

Follow these steps to make an organic compost from this plant for your garden. It is safer for your plants and your health than chemical fertilizers.

1. Collect a large pine leaf pile. Mix it with other materials such as yard waste (grass clippings, leaves), food scraps, paper, etc.
2. Shred them into smaller pieces using a chipper shredder, mower, or hands with gloves.
3. Add the shredded pine leaves to your compost pile in a 2-inch thick layer.
4. To ensure proper decomposition, add a nitrogen-rich material such as grass clippings or vegetable scraps to balance out the carbon-rich pine leaves.
5. Turn the compost pile regularly to aerate it and help speed up the decomposition process.
6. You can use that organic compost as a soil conditioner, fertilizer, or potting mix for houseplants.

IV. Conclusion