[Texan5]

I need a couple of pine trees, Robert. If you would be so kind as to pack me up a couple this winter? Actually, if yours are long needle pines, I don't think they will grow here-not enough dirt, as you know. But if they are the Jalepinso (sp?) variety of Pinon, they like rocky, thin soil and will grow here.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Do pine trees need dirt to grow?

(All we've got here is a 6" deep layer of slimy, greasy, slippery densely packed red clay....)

(However, I'm pretty sure a moderate acidic soil helps both cedar and pine - and you've got the limestone rock in the aquifer down below... could be pretty basic up top as well. Which might be why cedars don't get too tall in the Hill Country.)

Virginia put this out:

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/trees/430-027/430-027.html

'Course, no soil, rocks, and low rainfall don't matter, do they?