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!
They're incredibly toxic to horses, we had to pick every seed from our field, every year.
We moved to where we are now 5 years ago and in year 1 I was HORRIFIED because of all the tiny trees trying to grow from the looming sycamore. Spent ages picking them out. These days I pull them as I go. Not many seem to ‘take hold’ in any serious way, and if they do I eventually come across the little blighters as I get the garden shipshape for the next growing season.
It’s the gravel which I’m finding hard to cope with. I am weeding sometimes three times a day as the seedlings emerge so quickly. It’s disheartening. Is my only option to replace the extensive gravelled area with lawn so I can mow them away?
@Slow-worm Thanks for responding, I did look it up
Daughter saw neighbour yesterday when she came to inspect the fence her horses had pushed down and found that it had been mended already - in January!
Duly warned. She's a vet, so knew about the seedlings being toxic, but didn't realise that her field is now full of them. They've got some work to do before the horses can go back in!
Thank you, Dovefromabove. Excuse my rather bizarre name - it seems to have been automatically allocated when I signed up:-)
I am straight off to buy a Dutch hoe - and it is such good news that this is a mast year - I don't think I could cope with this every year (I've only just had the garden 'done' and the gravel was only put down a few months ago - so I was envisaging spending all my days every spring for the next 20 years pulling out seedlings!) So pleased that is not going to be the case. Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. Much appreciated.
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Same here, loads of ash trees coming up everywhere, happens every year and they grow so fast.. but not as fast as my Damson trees!
and welcome to the forum 😊
If it’s loose gravel I’d try tackling them with a Dutch hoe … far easier than all that bending.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I am straight off to buy a Dutch hoe - and it is such good news that this is a mast year - I don't think I could cope with this every year (I've only just had the garden 'done' and the gravel was only put down a few months ago - so I was envisaging spending all my days every spring for the next 20 years pulling out seedlings!) So pleased that is not going to be the case. Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. Much appreciated.