Whats Taking Over Yard??

[mimimomx3]

Those are oak tree rootlings for sure. You have a couple of options. First, you could put down some landscaping fabric and then cover with rocks (small pebble types). Cut whatever has the stomach to push through. Secondly, you could cover with lots of topsoil and plant some groundcover that would compete with the rootlings. Pulling them up won't do any good, and trying to kill them with pesticide could hurt a very valuable tree.

[Spacepup]

Originally Posted by BJB817

I'm guessing you have a cluster of live oaks in the back yard? The escarpment live oak, the strain that's native to the area, forms cluster or "motts" by spreading root suckers, like the ones you appear to have. Some are more prone to suckering than others, it varies from tree to tree. Looks like you're lucky enough to have alot.

Your best bet, unfortunately, is probably going to be hand pulling to the best of your ability. From my understanding, if you spray the suckers with a herbicide like roundup, it can adversely affect the parent tree as the root system is connected.

It wouldn't hurt to get a few more opinions on the matter though as I don't profess to be a master gardener.

If you pull and they are attached to a bigger root then you are right and you shouldn't do a broadcast chemical spray like roundup. What you CAN do is cut the shoots near the ground and then "paint" the cut spot with roundup or generic glyphosate. The drops or so on the tip of the cut shoots isn't enough to hurt the big tree but it will take out the rapidly dividing clump of cells on the root which is sending up the sucker. This is a lot of work and it would probably be easier to just cut everything back with a mower and cover the area with landscaping cloth.

The other possibility is that you just have discovered the spot where the neighborhood squirrels like to bury things.

[tibbar]

We have them in our yard and I think they have sprouted because the tree trimmer severely cut back our live oak trees. The trees themselves are putting off tons of new sprouts all along the main branches. I have learned my lesson on using the tree trimmers that knock on your door with a great price. So far we just mow the sprouts down.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Sorry to be redundant but can you transplant those? Yes, I agree they are trees.

[chuck_steak]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Sorry to be redundant but can you transplant those? Yes, I agree they are trees.

You can. If they will take is another thing.