Silver Maple Mess

[Carol Dee]

The neighbor has a big silver maple that makes great morning shade for our yard and a bit of a screen from the junky side of his building. (He is talking about taking it down.) I really do not want to see it go. I planted shade plants there and the tree in our yard will not provide enough shade yet. Here is the problem. The tree puts off BILLIONS of seed pods. They will cover our deck, koi pond, yard and flower beds till they look brown. They clog the gutters even with gutter screens. Does anyone have any ideas how to get them up with out crawling on hands and knees and picking them out of each plant in the flower bed. Anything left behind quickly grows into a small tree!

They are onlu just beginning to fall. Grrr.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have no idea other than to pull them as they sprout. If you get them young it's not too bad but that tap root goes deep quickly.

I'm not a fan of silver maple anywhere near the house. They grow fast, are beautiful when the leaves turn, and I don't mind the mess from the seed pods. I've planted a few well away from the house.

But they are brittle. They drop a lot of limbs, sometimes huge limbs. They get huge and are fairly easy to blow over or even break during a strong wind. More than once I had to help clear a huge one from our driveway with an ax, not a chain saw. And one fell squarely on the roof once. It only did cosmetic damage, that house was built in 1935 and built strong. The only maples near my house are going to be red or sugar, not silver.

 

[Carol Dee]

@Ridgerunner Well it is not our tree. I would NEVER plant on in my yard. We do have 3 hard maples. And unfortunately part of it does overhang our kitchen roof. Thinking about it I guess if he does take it down I could figure a way to erect some type of screen or sunshade until our tree is bigger. Hmmm thinking what I could put above or 6 ft. fence to add privacy?

 

[thistlebloom]

I agree with Ridge, pulling the sprouts is the only way I know of to deal with them in beds. You can blow them out of beds if you're careful not to blast your perennials too much.
You have my sympathy, I spend hours pulling Littleleaf lindens, maples, conifers and aspens out of beds. Job security I guess...

I'm not sure if I understood the privacy screen question, but my sister had a solution to a nosy neighbor peering over her solid board fence by making
a series of attractive trellises close to, but not attached to the fence (per city ordinance) with fast growing vines on them. These were higher than the actual fence and worked well to screen the neighbor.

 

[Carol Dee]

@thistlebloom The tree does give some morning shade. It is not until mid-afternoon that our tree shades that bed. Most of my shade loving plants are there. AND the neighbor on that side is the Tavern. They have a patio and Volleyball court going in. I don't really like the lights and sights that come over the top of the fence. The tree does a nice job of hiding that. I do like the trellis idea. I will keep that in mind if/when the tree goes.

 

[ninnymary]

thistle, the trellis idea reminded me of our local nursery that is 2 blocks away from me. There is a victorian house on the property that has a gift shop and coffee shop on the second level. The lower level is the gardening store. They have such a trellis covered with trumpet vine that the hummingbirds like. This vine is on the neighbor's side and goes all the way up to the top deck where the coffee shop is. I love to have coffee and a pastry on the deck right next to that vine and then walk down to the nursery area. That vine has to be around 20 feet tall and beautiful!

Mary

 

[baymule]

A tavern and volleyball court next door. I don't blame you for not wanting the tree cut down. I like the trellis and vine idea. I have a tire store across the street from me and a 4 lane highway that runs in front of the tire store. The tire store's driveway goes from front to back of their property and lines right up with my driveway. I wish a trellis and vine would hide it.

 

[Carol Dee]

A tavern and volleyball court next door. I/QUOTE]

EXACTLY

 

[baymule]

 

[Carol Dee]

@baymule You Laugh! I will trade you a tire store and 4 lane highway for a tavern and volleyball court... PLEASE