Q's About Locust Trees

[LeftyTom]

I have one locust tree on my "half-acre wildlife preserve". We'd lived here 6 years before I ever saw a locust sprout. Now a year later, and I have 7 sprouts I am trying to nurse to sapling stage.

How far should I keep the sprouts apart? I've culled a few smaller ones within one foot of a larger sprout.

Does the locust tree only produce sprouts every so-many-years, aka the dreaded 7-year locust?

Any tips on helping the li'l sprouts become jolly green giants? I am thinning out some mimosa trees to allow sunlight penetration.

 

[nelsone]

Sounds like a DaveO question!

 

[JackLeg]

Tom: I'd dig those sprouts if they are as much as a foot tall and place them in gallon nursery buckets in a mix of potting soil and topsoil. Keep 'em watered and they should grow well. Transplant them in the fall of '09.

MTCW Good luck!

:wsmile:

 

[Mike Davis]

I have a 3 acre field I finally got a neighbor to cut, you could have taken several hundred of the things. I don't think you'll have any problem getting them to live, I can't kill them.

Now, if you want to make nice straight timber with them you'll need to do a lot of pruning, staking and nurturing. Then in about fifteen years they'll get the blight and die. :rotflm:

 

[DaveO]

I assume that you are talking about Black Locust Robinia pseudacacia. 7-9 parallel compound leaflets. It has creamy white flowers as opposed to other native Locust species R. viscosa with pink flowers, or R. hispida with purple flowers.
Another tree also known as locust is the Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos, but it has much smaller leaflet, and more numerous, 15-30 per compound leaf. And some wicked looking three pronged thorns

Black locust starts seed production around 6 years old, but reaches it greatest vitality for seed reproduction between 15-40 years old. Black Locust rarely reproduce by seed, their main reproduction means is root suckers. These are often brought upon by stress, like drought or damage, after the 4 or 5th year.

Digging and trying to remove these sprouts probably will be an act of futility as they are part of the main trees root system and won't have much of their own root system developed. Plus the damage that you will do trying to dig them will probably induce more root suckering in the same spot. Your best bet would be to cull them for the spacing. Idealy they should be at least 10-15' apart to be able to mature into normal trees.
Black Locust is a rather weedy species and readily invades areas of poor soil, it is often used to help reclaim strip mining sites. The lumber isn't of great value except for fence posts.
I wouldn't waste my time nutring weedy trees, instead I would consider contacting a liner nursery and getting some liners of better native trees like Oak, Maple, Walnut and even Poplar and starting your homegrown furniture that way. You'll get trees with better root systems designated for transplanting, and trees that will bring you great enjoyment and value.

MTCW,
Dave

I met a woman once who was very proud that she and her husband transplanted around 50 Maples from the woods around their house. She told me how much work it was, but she was really happy that after 2 years they had about 10 surviors. I had to inform her that they had transplanted Sweetgum...D'oh:eusa_doh::eusa_doh::eusa_doh::eusa_doh::slap::slap:

 

[pslamp32]

Sorry for the hijack but while we're on the subject I had a question. I know less than nothing about plants and trees other than I love them. I have quite a few massive oaks, walnuts, maples etc. (I only know what they are because I was told) on my lot. One of the oaks/maples (one of them I think) is sprouting a bunch of mini oaks/maples around the base (I assume because the leaves look the same). Does this mean that I have baby trees forming? Seems like they would be way too close to actually grow large as the main tree is HUGE. Stupid question I'm sure, but since Dave seems sooo knowledgeble I thought I'd ask. Thanks!

 

[DaveO]

Most likely those are seedlings of the parent tree. Oaks and Maples seed well, but their seed dispersal is limited. In the case of Oaks is is how ever the acorns fall, and hopefully roll. Sometimes you'll get a acorn buried by a squirrel and forgotten that will get it farther away from the parent tree. In the case of Maples, the seeds have wings similar to helicopter blades that can carry them farther away if the wind is right. Trees produce so many seeds that if out of the 10s of thousand they produce a few can grow into the next generation, that's a good rate.
The general forest ecology around here starts with intolerant and tolerant species. The first trees to take over a deforested piece of land are the Pines, Sweetgum, Locust, Tulip Poplar, and other lesser species. They grow at such a density that they shade the ground to a point where their seed will no longer germinate. They are the intolerant species, intolerant of their own shade. Then comes the tolerant species, the climatic ones. If you look into any Pine stand you will find Oak, Maple, Hickory seedlings sprouting up. They are tolerant of the shade created by the earlier growth and are just waiting for an opening created by disease, old age, or storms to make their way to the top and become the climatic hardwood forest that will live on.

Dave