Is your landscape covered with acorns from one or more oak trees? There’s no denying the fact that oak trees (Quercus) are a valuable addition to a home’s landscape. They provide color, shade and life, all while enhancing your home’s curb appeal.
Unfortunately, oak trees can also blanket a landscape with hundreds or thousands of acorns. When this occurs, it can restrict grass and plants from receiving the sunlight they need to grow and hinder your ability to mow and manicure the lawn.
Prune Trees
Pruning overgrown shoots and branches can help control acorn production. When left unchecked, an oak tree’s branches will grow, thereby increasing the surface area from which it produces acorns.
You don’t have to necessarily chop down your oak trees, but you should prune them on a regular basis. Not only will this limit the amount of acorns they produce, but it also makes them more attractive.
Mulch Them
Don’t attempt to collect and bag acorns by running over them with a lawnmower. Instead, remove the bag and mulch them. Doing so will chop up the acorns into small, fine pieces, allowing them to disperse more evenly throughout your lawn. This won’t eliminate acorns, but it can help you manage them. Just remember to wear protective glasses to protect your eyes from flying acorn debris.
Dry Vacuum
Rather than running over the acorns, consider sucking them up with a dry vacuum. Most acorns land directly underneath the oak tree from which they originated. Depending on the size of the tree, this area may be just 10 feet by 10 feet in size, making it relatively easy to vacuum. Using a dry vacuum, you can suck up acorns and dispose of them elsewhere.
Growth Regulator
When all else fails, consider using a growth regulator product on your oak trees. As the name suggests, growth regulator is designed to reduce fruit development on trees and shrubs. Once applied to a tree, the tree will produce fewer acorns. Keep in mind that growth regulators leave trees susceptible to disease, so you should only use them as a last resort.
Acorns aren’t always a problem. In fact, they are typically harmless and cause no reason for concern. It’s only when they begin blanketing the landscape that you should take action. Nonetheless, the tips outlined here can help you control and manage acorns in your landscape.
The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.
If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or
Can I put the acorns I pick up under pine trees or is that not good for the pine trees. Thanks
Hi Kathy. Thanks for reading. I would not recommend putting acorns under your pine trees. I would recommend raking up the fallen pine needles (pine straw) from your lawn and using that under your pine trees.
Hi.
I mulch fallen oak leaves every year from the two large oak trees on my 3/4 acre lot. Is it a good practice to add this mulch after seasoned under other trees and shrubs and to the clay soil all over my property?