Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Seeding and Propagation

Removing Oak Seedlings from Lawn: Mow Them Out

Hundreds of oak seedlings from squirrel-planted acorns? Mow repeatedly at lowest setting. Each cutting weakens the taproot; they die out after a few mowings.

Alternative

Pre-emergent herbicide (Preen) in early spring prevents new germination but doesn’t kill existing seedlings.

Mowing is free, safe, and effective.

Seeding and Propagation: Planting Sprouted Acorns in Alabama; Storing Acorns for Planting: Keep Them Cool and Dry; Overwintering Bare-Root Chestnut Trees in Pots Until Spring; Transplanting Trees and Shrubs: Timing and Technique; Germinating Oak Acorns and Pine Seeds in Zone 7a Alabama Clay; Oak Thinning for Acorn Production: Wildlife Management Guide; Propagating Oaks: Acorns Work, Cuttings Don't; Oak Tree Leaf-Out Failure After Late Freeze in Central Texas; Immature Acorns: The "Paired Droppings" Under Oak Trees; Sawtooth Oak Identification: The "Mop-Head" Acorn Culprit

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