These are the young pods that will eventually grow into the big cotton puffs that will make a huge mess over the deck and the yard and, for some, make breathing hard. I took this picture yesterday and today the pods had already started opening in the kitchen. (Those little balls are about the side of very big peas.) Why not just look through the tree and cut all these off before they ever open and spread their cotton?
So I went out today with the tree trimmer and I realize that I couldn't find them in the tree, and probably, if I could, they are so high up that I could never reach them. Cleaning them up after the fact is probably easier. But if anyone has a trained monkey, it could work.
BTW, one of my posts that still gets lots of hits is on uses cottonwood cotton.
Each year, the cottonwoods around us are shedding more and for a longer period. Today, July 7, they have been shedding for more than a month, (they began in May). They go away for awhile, (we clean our screens and wash them off our deck) and then they come back! Today, the particles in the air are so tiny, they are impossible not to breath in. I have already had two sinus infections. Unfortunately, the cottonwoods that plague our home are not on our property. They grow all along the creeks in our area, some on private property, some not. I am desperate! Is there a model for community clean up or prevention? I would appeal to our township, but I wouldn't begin to know what to say.
ReplyDeleteRog and Margaret, I don’t know a specific model program for cottonwoods, but in Anchorage we have a program to get rid of invasive choke cherry trees. Here’s the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://plants.alaska.gov/pdf/2015EBC.pdf”>http://plants.alaska.gov/pdf/2015EBC.pdf.
Check with local plant or flower clubs, botanical gardens nearby, or the agricultural extension service near you. They might be able to help you gather allies before going to your elected officials.
Good luck.