Pine needles

Having a flat roof and pine trees close by 3 - 4 times a year I get a barrow load of pine needles with added cones and other debris. Is there anything I can use them for apart from just throwing them into the compost bin where they are slow to rot and make the heap more acid?

 

Put them in a separate heap surrounded by wire mesh, like you would with leaf mold. Eventually you'll have your own Ericaceous compost

Always the chance of some interesting fungi coming up in it too