New tree shoots from roots in yard to control

cpapnik – posted 29 April 2005 05:46

I live in NE Florida and I think I have new oak (live, water?) shoots sprouting in the yard. Most fo them are less than a foot high, and are within the trees drip line. Is there a way to control them. A lot of soil has been eroded away, exposing some roots or very close to the surface. I plan on adding some soil to level the yard out. Can this help. As of now there is not much ground cover where this is happening. Please advise

Chris

jr – posted 04 May 2005 06:53

Depending on what the diameter of the canopy of the tree is, it would be a good idea to just mulch the majority of the area beneath it. Often those shoots are the result of mechanical damage to surface roots, usually by mowing, especially since you indicated that some soil has eroded away. You can not use any type of herbicide on these shoots because the main tree would be absorbing it. Also, burying tree roots with fill soil, more than an inch or so anyway, will smother them and at least injure, if not kill, your tree.