ash tree seed production - Ask Extension
Hi.It seems to me this year both my female ash trees produced above average seeds.I don't see any soil compuction,nor ash borer,lilac ash borer,watere...
Knowledgebase
ash tree seed production #889205
Asked November 01, 2024, 7:27 PM EDT
Hi.It seems to me this year both my female ash trees produced above average seeds.I don't see any soil compuction,nor ash borer,lilac ash borer,watered my grass 3 times a week 15-25 minutes per.Read there're 2 kinds of chemicals to suppress the production-it's a ghastly sore sight because the seeds start to sprout on the grass,and I don't know of any pesticides that will kill them and not harm my grass. Any suggestions? Very much appreciated.
Denver County Colorado
Expert Response
Hello,
It sounds like your trees may be having a "mast" year, where they produce more seeds at the same time as other trees of the same species than they would in a typical year. Mast years are typically discernable over a larger area or region, and we haven't yet heard if other ash trees in the area have been producing larger numbers of seeds, but it's possible that it just hasn't been frequently reported yet.
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/trees-shrubs-vines/1759-excessive-seed-production-trees/
As you suggested, it is possible that instead of having a mast year, your trees are stressed, since excessive seed production is sometimes attributed to tree stress, and here in Colorado a decline in moisture is often the biggest stressor. Instead of only measuring water by duration of time applied, test your system to determine how much water the trees are receiving during each watering session. To measure the amount of water, set several shallow containers (such as baking pans) in different areas of the tree's dripline for thirty minutes while irrigating. Measure, in inches, the depth of water accumulated in the containers. The average depth of water in these containers multiplied by two is the inches of water per hour emitted by the sprinkler system.
You should aim to apply 1 to 2 inches of water every two weeks during the growing season. You'll also want to ensure you're watering during the fall and winter. Here are some guidelines for non-growing season watering.
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-and-winter-watering-7-211/
There are indeed a few products marketed as preventing seed / fruit by suppressing the production of flowers, but we would recommend having those applied by a certified arborist, and getting a certified arborist's inspection prior to doing so. These products may also be very toxic to pollinators, making this approach somewhat drastic.
Manual removal of the seedlings by pulling, mowing, or clipping could be a viable option if you don't want to use an herbicide, but herbicides are an option. You can treat the seedlings as broadleaf herbicide, and use those products which are safe for lawns. Before applying any herbicide, check to ensure that what you see are seedlings, and not suckers from the larger tree. Applications of herbicides to suckers (attached to the mature tree) can be detrimental to the tree's health.
https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/552.pdf
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/lawns/1525-controlling-broadleaf-weeds-lawns/
You aren't the only one who has experienced higher than average ash seed production occasionally. Here are a couple of other instances, and the first link occurred in Colorado in 2017:
https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=410027
https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=825121/1000
It sounds like your trees may be having a "mast" year, where they produce more seeds at the same time as other trees of the same species than they would in a typical year. Mast years are typically discernable over a larger area or region, and we haven't yet heard if other ash trees in the area have been producing larger numbers of seeds, but it's possible that it just hasn't been frequently reported yet.
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/trees-shrubs-vines/1759-excessive-seed-production-trees/
As you suggested, it is possible that instead of having a mast year, your trees are stressed, since excessive seed production is sometimes attributed to tree stress, and here in Colorado a decline in moisture is often the biggest stressor. Instead of only measuring water by duration of time applied, test your system to determine how much water the trees are receiving during each watering session. To measure the amount of water, set several shallow containers (such as baking pans) in different areas of the tree's dripline for thirty minutes while irrigating. Measure, in inches, the depth of water accumulated in the containers. The average depth of water in these containers multiplied by two is the inches of water per hour emitted by the sprinkler system.
You should aim to apply 1 to 2 inches of water every two weeks during the growing season. You'll also want to ensure you're watering during the fall and winter. Here are some guidelines for non-growing season watering.
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/fall-and-winter-watering-7-211/
There are indeed a few products marketed as preventing seed / fruit by suppressing the production of flowers, but we would recommend having those applied by a certified arborist, and getting a certified arborist's inspection prior to doing so. These products may also be very toxic to pollinators, making this approach somewhat drastic.
Manual removal of the seedlings by pulling, mowing, or clipping could be a viable option if you don't want to use an herbicide, but herbicides are an option. You can treat the seedlings as broadleaf herbicide, and use those products which are safe for lawns. Before applying any herbicide, check to ensure that what you see are seedlings, and not suckers from the larger tree. Applications of herbicides to suckers (attached to the mature tree) can be detrimental to the tree's health.
https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/Gardennotes/552.pdf
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/lawns/1525-controlling-broadleaf-weeds-lawns/
You aren't the only one who has experienced higher than average ash seed production occasionally. Here are a couple of other instances, and the first link occurred in Colorado in 2017:
https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=410027
https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=825121/1000
