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Pine needles as mulch

Are pine needles good for mulch in the garden and for fruit trees?

Pine needles are most often used with plants that prefer acid soil, but according to Mulch It! by Stu Campbell (Storey, 2001), they can be used elsewhere, too, at a depth of one to one and a half inches. It is considered a myth (see information from Washington State University horticulture professor Linda Chalker-Scott in Organic Gardening, February 2007, p.8) that they will acidify your soil. They are good for insulation, weed control, and moisture retention, and excellent for water penetration. However, they decompose very slowly and are not liked by earthworms. You can shred the needles a bit before applying them as mulch, and that will speed their decomposition.