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Help! Thousands of sycamore seedlings on lawn borders etc!

mmmorris007mmmorris007 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
I moved into this house in late Summer so haven't become accustomed to neighbouring tree issues.
However I have emerged from the cold winter to find thousands of sycamore seedlings all over my large lawn!
Didn't know what they were as haven't been in the garden for months really (it's down steps so not connected to house)
Would have raked them up but too late now!
Also all over borders and gravel..in pots ..just everywhere!
A huge task as I work full time and don't really have time to do this by hand..
Is dreaded weedkiller an option??
Will mowing the lawn keep them under control??
I think I can cope with the rest by hand if I can do this..
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Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Once you mow the lawn, they'll be gone.
    A light hoeing of the borders will get rid of the rest.
    No need for weedkiller :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    We have the same here, it must have been the perfect weather for them. Our trees date back to at least 1881, they are shown on a.map from then. In the nearly 40 years we've been here we've never had a problem with seedlings, now there are thousands!
    Mowing the tops off young seedlings should control them, it won't work as well if they get established, so do it as soon as you can :)
    Most of the ones from our big tree have come up in the neighbour's field, where he grazes his horses. Hope they like sycamore seedlings and that they are safe to eat, as I know the seeds are not good for horses. Must look it up!
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    I spend hours, it seems, collecting the seeds by hand each year, but inevitably some get missed. I gently ease them out by hand before they reach about 2-3inches high, but while the lawn and soil are damp.

    I'd never considered mowing them, as I'd assumed they'd just re-grow!

    Thank you for the suggestion.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    edited April 2023
    They won't regrow.
     If you just pull the leaves off softwood ones you've missed, they won't grow back either. When they harden up, that's another matter.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • PoppypussPoppypuss Posts: 143
    They’re easy to get rid of in a lawn, just mow. A right pain in borders though as they tend to congregate in and around other plants. I’ve just spent this morning hand picking them off emerging ferns and hostas so I sympathise!
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    I find Ash more difficult, they seem to make a deep root more quickly


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • joanna65joanna65 Posts: 75
    I just pick them out of the borders by hand as I am weeding but I am sure that for every one I get I miss another two or so. I expect there will be another crop of them by next weekend. 
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    We have the same problem too. Seems this is a bumper year. Lawn is easy, mow it. I weed the seedlings out of the borders. Sometimes miss some but they are still easy to pull up up to about a foot tall, unlike the horrid weed cornus I had at my old house in France.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • mmmorris007mmmorris007 Posts: 3
    Nice to know I'm not alone thanks for these responses!
    Will do some by hand (or pocket money for kids) and now the rest.
  • mmmorris007mmmorris007 Posts: 3
    *mow
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