I don't have Elm trees, but my Green Ash and Manitoba Maple are just as bad for seeds and seedlings. Oddly enough, they did not produce any seeds last year - I'm wondering if it has to do with the huge amount of moisture we've received in the last 2 years and the trees haven't found the need to reproduce? I also have chokecherry trees, quite a number of them and they produce a lot of fruit. The birds eat a lot, but there are a ton of seedlings under the trees that I have to deal with each year.

Oh, oh, I'm I in trouble CG? LOL

Wow GC, now that's a bucket full of seeds!

Yes, all your seedlings that you sent me last spring are all doing great, they're about 12-18" tall now.

A part of me says, I can't wait for them to mature and spread their babies around, the other part of me says, oh, oh, what the heck are you thinking! ;)

Sharon

I have a really huge old elm tree in the front yard - surprisingly it doesn't seed much. The worst are the Chinese Elms, they blow in drifts from all over. They seem to sprout very readily too. MB maples are awful too. I cut down all but one in my yard and I don't know whether I'm more relieved that it's female and I don't have the allergenic pollen, or upset that it's female and fills my yard with seeds.

They definitely produce more seeds when stressed.

Bad trees! Bad!

I would actually love to have the seeds. I plan to plant seedlings in the woods around me. The reason is that moral mushrooms grow where fallen wood decays. I know it is a long term proposition but the mushrooms are hard to find now with the decreased number of elms.

My Neighbour has a large tree, tons of seeds here too, last year I had to cut some back because it was rubbing against our house and
waking us up at night when the wind came up.
It's OK of a tree but I think not a good idea for residential areas.
I see fruit trees, like choke cherries or crab apples more appropriate for small lots.
Konrad

While we really miss our elm 'arch' since moving, we sure don't miss sweeping up seeds & pulling up seedlings every year. The town has planted an elm on the boulevard out front of our new house but it will be a few years before it's big enough to be impressive. There is also a flowering crab of some type planted on the other side. Looks really pretty in the spring!

There are 3 mature elm trees across the back lane from me. Every spring at least some of those seeds fly into my yard. I try to remove as they sprout but there are always some that start growing underneath a shrub or perennial and go unnoticed until next spring.

I have a small pond with a few goldfish/koi. A seed blew into the pond and the fish ate it, only to spit it back out. Darn!

Definitely tough little trees though, they often start growing in any crack in the cement that has soil exposed.

Speaking of Manitoba Maples, my neighbors have one grwoing from seed in the one foot gap between their shed and our fence that we share. I don't think they intentionally planted it there but my worry is that it gets huge and starts to grow over my house.

Glen

Glen, I had the same thing happen, but I think it was an ash tree that sprouted between ours and the neighbours garages. It's bottom was on the neighbours side and the top came up under the fence on our side. I dispatched of it when it got to be over 5' tall. The neighbour wasn't very happy, but I don't think he stopped to think just how big of a tree it would eventually become. It would've made short work of our shared fence line and been a real menace over our garages. Don't get me wrong, I'm a serious tree hugger, but it's all about the right tree in the right place.