How To Prevent Maple Saplings From Sprouting

Question From: D. Carlson - Alanson, Michigan, United States
Q: I am fighting the Maple Saplings as well. Have a large "memory garden" area which was excavated, covered with sand, we put down mulch and have 2 circles of plantings. Now we have a trillion maple saplings coming up in the mulch! I have started pulling/raking up the mulch so we can put down topsoil and then plan to seed grass so in the future we will just mow, don't know of another option? We have 7 acres and I'm tiring fast. I'm starting to pull up the saplings in the flower beds, could be worse I guess. Do you see any options otherwise? I love your column, I too will be drinking whenever possible as I pull up the tiny trees!!!

A: Thanks for the kind words Donna. Take a string trimmer and whack off the leaves where you can. Fortunately they won't all survive. Best And Happy Yardening, Nancy.