I have a beautiful liquid amber tree in my front yard but can't stand the small pods/foot grenades they drop. Is there any kind of spray I can use to stop the tree from producing the pods? I can't use my nice lawn barefooted because of the pods. Thanks in advance for any help.

Sweetgum (Liquidamber styraciflua) can be a real nuisance from the seed pods. There is a product called Florel, by Monterey, that can help reduce the number of pods the tree produces. It should be applied by a licensed applicator in most states.

The problem with this or any other material used to reduce fruit production is that timing is critical. The product must be appliled in a very small window of time, when the flowers are at a particular stage of development. This window is often only a few days in the spring.

This treatment should not be counted on to give a high level of control. While it can reduce the number of seed pods, it will not get rid of all of them. And if the timing is off, it may have little effect at all. Most applicators that use this material will not guarantee any results.

I would apply a liberal dose of bar & chain oil to the lower trunk then plant a superior tree such as a Ginkgo.

Male or female Elmore?