Lilacs and Staghorn Sumac taking over my yard
+3
Sumac is side yard and into the ditch, spreading behind the yard. Entire family has problems breathing. Doctor in ER said we are probably allergic to the pollen. People from out township and from MSU, suggest we make tea with it. Does not seem right allergic to pollen, but hey ingest the drink.
On the other side of the yard it is over taken by lilacs, again finding out what to do. I am 53 on disability, and my husband is 80 this years. Please help with suggestions.
Lilics are
we finally were able to have someone pull a trailer out from back by the camper, so I could go through it. So much of my stuff was placed on it that I did not know about, and was ruined. However, the lilacs in the back are as high as those in front. You can just barely see the top of our neighbors pole barn behind them. Any advice would be most appreciated.
Thank you,
Kathy Sullivan
thewriter_s_block@yahoo.com
This is not a job you could do! You would need willing helpers to tackle it for you! Are you members of a Community/Church/Charity or have Friends/Relatives who could organize this work for you ? Maybe there is help out there for you, but it would not happen over night. Have you considered moving home to somewhere that is well within your future capabilities and that will be better for your immediate health issues, It's maybe something to consider ? Very best wishes what ever your decision..............
First I would advise going to an allergist and confirm that it is the Sumac or the Lilac that you are having problems with. No point in doing a lot of work to remove something that is not the problem. My sister is very allergic to Lilac and lavender. I am VERY allergic to wheat! But I was 67 yrs old before I found out what was causing all my trouble. DON'T wait that long to find out! Then it is time to deal with the actual problem! DO NOT MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS. FIND OUT FOR SURE!
1st. Cut them back [as close to the ground as possible] and burn the foliage after it dries.. The State you live in plants Sumac on slops near highways. They grow and grow and spread like wild fire helping the ground from deteriorating. They are almost impossible to get rig of. 2nd. In the spring when you see green coming back use the strongest brush vegetation killer available. Buy the cheapest...they all have the same chemicals. Good luck.
I agree with getting tested for allergies. If you aren't allergic to the lilacs it would be a shame to remove all of them. The sumac is horrible to have around anyone with hay fever type allergies. That I would definitely get rid of. Cut it down and put week killer on the stump to try to kill it down to the roots. If lilac is also shown to be an allergen to your family, do the same. If you plan to burn the remains that you removed, have someone who is not allergic to it do the burning. It is possible the allergen can also spread in the smoke.
You only become allergic to something you've been exposed too. So as time goes by you become intolerant to it over repeated exposure. I would get tested first to make sure they are the problem.
If the lilacs aren't too big, you might list them as free on craigslist.., ie. dig them up and their yours.
As to the sumac, is that your land? if not, have a lawyer write a letter that they are causing health problems and need to be removed and the property maintained. If it is your land, I would hire a landscaper with a D-8 cat to come plow it off, and treat it with Tordon-RTU so it doesn't come back. Make sure they remove the stuff or burn it when they are done.