Question of the Week 04/04/2020

Q: Is there any way to prevent all the seeds from the elm trees from falling in my yard? I have a ton of elm's sprouting up all over my yard.

A: We understand how you feel! Elm's drop an enormous and ridiculous amount of seeds that are super viable. Elm's seed pods have a large, paper thin seed coating that catches the smallest breeze and allows the seeds to be blow far distances.

This seed coating also quickly absorbs water and turns gooey, which moistens the seed and helps it easily germinate. Although there is no way to prevent the seeds from landing in a particular area, removing the seeds often (by using a blower) and doing so before the seeds germinate can help prevent hundreds of Elm seedling growing in your yard.