Help! Little trees growing everywhere!
AliH
Posts: 3
i would really appreciate some advice on a possibly big problem. Last year my neighbour eventually had the most fastest growing spiked tree I've ever seen removed, I'm not not an expert but think it was an English Hawthorn. It had grown very big and was overhanging in my garden (which is another issue with all his leylandi's!) This week within 5 days of us being away we came back to at least 10 -15 miniature hawthorn trees growing in our garden. I'm assuming that the small seeds have embedded in the grass. I'm so annoyed as a few had popped up before but I was hoping it was just a one off! Some had grown at least 12 inches, and in such a short space of time. I decided to ruin the already ruined grass by digging them out, did I do the right thing? is there anything that can be done? They were even growing out of the stone chippings around my water feature. Having looked in my neighbours garden his was even worse but he just pulled at them like weeds. Would it be best if we completely re-turfed the area? I know this is not the last off these wretched things. Any help would be gratefully received.
Posts
Have you a photo.the speed of growth and the number of seedlings doesn't sound like hawthorn. Also hawthorns aren't very big trees. But probably irrelevant, they're in your lawn and you don't want them.
I find mowing deals with tree seedlings in grass very effectively
Last edited: 27 August 2016 21:26:58
In the sticks near Peterborough
Hi Nutcutlet and Pansyface,
I did happen to take a close up of one last month that grew, which I've attached, also another showing just one of the areas that they are coming up. The original tree was really thorny, massive ones in the trunk and also through the branches. Even these little ones had thorns on them already! If you can shed any light or offer further advice it will be very greatly received. Thank you so much for your responses too.
Ive just looked up the term suckers and wonder if this is a problem from the root system?
Last edited: 27 August 2016 23:21:06
Those definitely are not Hawthorn. Suckers from the roots left behind, probably. Mow them and they'll give up eventually.
A quick trawl through Google's vault and I found Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust). This sounds like a brute of a tree and might be the one you are suffering from.
Yes, it sounds like suckers from a Robinia pseudoacacia rootstock - just keep mowing/cutting them back as they appear. The roots will run out of energy and the suckers will stop appearing.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It is easy to tell suckers from seedlings, AliH. Seedlings that size will come out, roots and all, with a firm tug. Suckers don't come up, or break off without the roots.
Thanks so much everyone, having looked too at Google I think you are right about the tree Ceres. I found I couldn't pull the things out easily Posy, however I did find it not too bad to use a small spade and dig around the area which then freed it more easily. My grass as you can see is so dry and has been in that for a while, hopefully once the Autumn comes it will start to go green again. I will take the advice given and keep mowing! Thanks again everyone you have all been most helpful