How to Get Rid of Tree Seedlings

November 27, 2013 | Grass, Lawn Care, posted by Sasha

old style push lawn mower

Babies are adorable, but tree babies? Not so much. Many people often confuse sprouting tree seedlings as weeds and take harsh chemical methods to kill them, but actually end up damaging their grass instead. However, when tree seedlings start to sprout in your lawn, take one of these two approaches to easily destroy the brats.

Approach #1: Mowing

Most of the time, regularly mowing over sprouted tree seedlings (at least once a week) will kill the little buggers. By continuously cutting the tops off the sprouted seedlings with a short mow, the weed-like menaces will eventually lose their energy and die. This is the easiest and quickest method.

Approach #2: Pull Them Out

If you are craving a more hands-on approach, you can always pull the seedlings out yourself. This is definitely more time consuming and labor intensive, but it does allow you to get rid of the baby tree in one fell swoop. Make sure to pull out or dig up any roots as well. This is also much easier if the soil is wet, so give the sprouts a good saturation before you pull them out.

Seems too Harsh?

If you feel guilty about killing a baby tree, do not worry. You are actually doing yourself and your lawn a favor in the long run. Unwanted trees can often become invasive and eventually compete with the wanted plants in your yard. The best piece of advice to take with you: make sure to get rid of tree seedlings sooner rather than later. If you allow the tree sprout to grow into a small tree, it will be much more difficult to remove later on.

Sod Grass Experts

Need a grass estimate? Don’t be shy to call The Grass Outlet. Also, if you have any questions about tree seedlings or lawn maintenance, do not hesitate to give us a call.