Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Monday - August 02, 2010
From: Boerne, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Oak saplings in Boerne TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Is there anything I can do to kill the oak tree saplings that come up around my oak tree? I have a nice raised flower bed around the tree and now it's full of these saplings. Thanks for your help.ANSWER:
This is a very popular question this time of year. Rather than refer you to the numerous previous questions we have answered on the subject, see this excerpt from one of them:
The sprouts coming up could either be suckers off the roots of your existing oaks, or seedlings from a very good crop of acorns. Either way, they need to be physically removed, by pulling them out. If the terrain permits, you could try mowing very low. If you deny the roots of acorn seedlings the ability to produce leaves long enough, the roots (and the seedling) will starve.
No, there is no spray you can use, it would kill plants around it and even the parent tree. Mow it or pull it out, and stay ahead of it. Any acorns that fall should be quickly picked up and discarded. If you wait for the squirrels to get them, they will just go plant them in some nice soft dirt, probably in your flower bed. If they have gotten to "sapling" size, you may have to go after them with a shovel, so try not to let them get that big.
More Trees Questions
Sprouts from Sabal palmetto in Charleston SC
July 23, 2010 - I live in SC and have several palm trees (our state tree and symbol). The trees are wonderful, but my situation concerns the many, many sprouts that appear in the flower beds around the trees? Is the...
view the full question and answer
Revegetating a hillside in western Washington state
October 10, 2012 - Removing several downed trees across my dock demolished the native plants growing on the hillside and the contractor pulled out their remains. The area faces east on an open freshwater bay. Close to...
view the full question and answer
Should Texas live oaks be mulched under drought conditions?
July 19, 2011 - Should we mulch our live oaks in pastures for water retention?
view the full question and answer
Fertilizing oaks to produce acorns
January 16, 2012 - Will fertilizing oak trees help with acorn production?
view the full question and answer
Landscaping with water garden from Pendleton SC
August 15, 2012 - Searching for native plants in SC. Your results miss some plants listed on your site. I noticed this reading the Mr. Smarty Plants response to "Edible Plants for North GA" We aren't far apart.
...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
