April is usually the month when spring winds blow oak tree “tassels,” or “catkins,” around North Texas, causing them to pile up in yards, streets and on cars, like snow, and this year is no exception. The yellowish-brown wormlike “strings” are technically known as aments, the male flower parts of the oak trees, and they fall to the ground once their pollen is released. Depending on the location of the tree, the aments can create a yard nuisance, but experts with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service say they can serve a useful purpose as a nutrient-rich, short-term mulch in flower beds, vegetable gardens or mowed into the lawn, where they quickly break down. They can also be added to a compost pile.
More information about mulch mowing: Make Mulch, Not Trash | Richardson, TX (cor.net)
