Oak Sprouts

[R. Henry]

We have shady garden beds, in and around mature Oak trees. And each year, it gets harder and harder to keep out the growth of baby Oak runners, shoots and saplings. These garden beds get low to moderate moisture from the lawn sprinklers.

Any ideas as to how to keep these Oak sprouts at a minimum will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. R.H.

[Marcos]

We have shady garden beds, in and around mature Oak trees. And each year, it gets harder and harder to keep out the growth of baby Oak runners, shoots and saplings. These garden beds get low to moderate moisture from the lawn sprinklers.

Any ideas as to how to keep these Oak sprouts at a minimum will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. R.H.

If they're indeed "mature" oak trees like you state they are...then I'd say 99.5% of them (or thereabouts) are coming from acorns.

Squirrels are no doubt doing a fair amount of the "planting" for you :rolleyes:, but if you're religious about keeping as many acorns out of the beds as possible while you're doing other stuff in there, you certainly will REDUCE the # of germinating acorns later.

Give some to neighbors who'd like to have an oak tree...assuming they have a clue as to how to grow, and take care of one.

[Capemay Eagle]

Yep, gotta get in those gardens and rake them acorns out and then hand pick the ones you cannot get. I remember a few years ago I was lazy and I just dumped some fresh mulch in the flower gardens over all the debris and had a little forest of Oaks growing in late spring. Mulch seems to help the acorns sprout up out of the soil. So before you put down the mulch, rake them acorns out..

[Bennett scape]

OR put down some preamerge herbicide

[mngrassguy]

Spray with Round-up or apply with a sponge.