Is there any practical use for "sweetgum balls" as a mulch or in landscaping?
Answers:
Well, when I was a kid, I collected them, sprayed them with gold paint, and made christmas tree ornaments out of them.
But that's not going to use the quantity you'r talking about. Using it as a mulch would work, mulch-wise, but you'd most likely get lots and lots and lots of sweetgum seedlings.
I'd maybe try piling them up compost-style, if they sprout seedlings too freely, maybe spread them out to a six inch depth, and solarize them for 2-3 weeks under clear plastic to kill the seeds, then use them for mulch.
Other answers:
Wish I had a good answer for this one, we get about ten calls a year at the Extension office on these. About the only thing you can do in pick them up. Maybe a local florist could use them in their arrangements!
Wish I had a good answer for this one, we get about ten calls a year at the Extension office on these. About the only thing you can do in pick them up. Maybe a local florist could use them in their arrangements!
My niece and I were in a craft show at the school several years ago and she took the sweet gum balls, sprayed them black put pipe cleaner legs on them glued little eyes on them attached a string to the body and tied it to a stick and she sold 100 dancing spiders for $1 each. They could be used as a mulch if we could find a way to sterilize them so they wouldn't sprout little trees all over the place.