Now that it's spring, acorns are back, but this time we won't simply be able to sweep them away. Long Islanders are reporting that acorns that overwintered in lawns and garden beds have now rooted into the soil. Unless you're in the market for shade and privacy, they need to be removed now.
Removing acorns from turf, followed by repeated mowing of the area will eradicate the aspirations of any seedling to become a mighty oak, as eventually its roots will run out of energy and just give up trying. This could take three or more mowings, but it will be effective.
Acorns rooted in beds and borders pose a bigger challenge, however. If you spot rooted acorns in your perennial bed, you'll need to dig them out, taking care to lift up their entire taproots. Place them into a bucket as you work instead of piling them up on the soil for later retrieval or you'll risk leaving a few behind. Dispose of them in the trash, as composting may not kill them. Then, keep an eye on the area throughout the growing season, digging out any sprouts you notice.
Another consequence of all those acorns is that the rodent population is exploding, according to Vinnie Drzewucki, horticultural resource educator at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County in East Meadow. And where there are more rodents, he says, there could be more ticks.
"Do what you can to dissuade rodent populations," Drzewucki advised, including "trapping, stocking bird feeders with only enough seed that can be consumed in a day, and eliminating wood piles and debris, which rodents like to inhabit." We could be facing a tick-infested summer, and potentially a rise in Lyme disease cases.
