Compost, walls of water and plant bedding

Q: Would too many pine needles be bad for my compost?

A: Poor old pine needles! They often get a bad rap from gardeners, for no good reason. Pine needles have been accused of making paths slippery when it rains. Perhaps, but very few materials are not slippery when wet. Pine needles also have been accused of ruining garden soil by making it acid. The truth is that it is nearly impossible to make alkaline soil acid, or vice versa. Various characteristics of soil can be changed-somewhat, with conscious effort-but the pH level can be nudged only a little.

I would not consider a pile of pine needl...