The best way to turn an area that is a mess is to start working it. When faced with this situation I grab an a hatchet, Loppers, weed hoe, or whatever and slowly start working the area. With the hatchet you can cut the heavy undergrowth and start the trimming off small branches. Use the loopers to cut the big vines. (watch out of poison ivy and oak, it is waiting for you.) Using the weed hoe cut the brambles off near the ground. And with what ever works knock the vines out of the trees. Don't expect to go out there with a bunch of tools and get it looking good in an afternoon. In this way, the only thing that you will accomplish is making a pile of brush to take care of. Start with the vines, these usually are or contribute to the messy appearance of an area. Do a little trimming here and there. Use the loopers to cut up the vines, and small branches that are poking up through the leaves and snagging you when you walk by. Cut what looks like it will never be worth any thing; promote what looks good. Many times you can change the appearance of an area by pulling down the dead and broken limbs When ever I have an hour, I take one of the tools mentioned above, and take a walk through the area. Even on those days when you don't make it to the tool shed you can do some minor trimming with your pocket knife, and tromp down the little sticks breaking them into the leaves and soil. We moved in to this house in the fall and have been here for three springs now When we moved in, the back "40" was a bramble thicket. Over the past seasons working the area a little at a time, it is now a pretty wild area. Clear and neat Wild areas need a lot of work to look wild, not brushy. So develop the habit of walk the area with an implement of destruction doing a little trimming and cutting now and then. It will become just part of your relaxation routine

The kale is the one with slightly frilly edges. The last picture shows mostly spinach. It has slightly spade shaped leaves. I suggest you Google some pictures to help you . If you put in 'kale seedlings', etc. you'll see images. Google image results for 'Kale seedlings' The instructions to sprinkle the seed are all very well if you know what the plants will look like. Personally, even though I know what I'm looking at I still use rows, even if I'm sowing a patch of salad plants. It also means that you can thin the plants more easily and use a hoe to keep weeds down which is a very simple method of keeping on top of weeds.

I would think that a parent is close by, but, it could be a couple miles away possibly. I am not sure if the seed goes through the gut of birds, bats, squirrels or any other animal. I would guess someone on here knows that kinda stuff. It really had me fooled, thinking it was Beech, though. As for my field guide pic, the leaves must vary, as far as the teeth on the edges of the leaves. Our Beech are just starting to leaf out here in SW Pa. I'll have to take a better look at some trees that i just think are Beech, like up the mountains etc. I know that the local woods are Beech here, unless they look the same in fall, and keeping their tannish leaves all winter. I think that is likely only a Beech attribute, unless someone has info on that, and the AH do that too! I doubt it though. Later.

I'm not sure what Preen label you read, but the one I linked to above clearly states, "Do not over apply; injury may occur to subsequent crops yada yada ....." "To avoid plant injury, do not apply when foliage is wet." It is for use "around ESTABLISHED plants and transplants. It can be used after flowering plants have germinated and are two to three inches tall." In other words, don't use it on newly planted beds that need to establish roots in the ground. "This product is not for use on a lawn." Now why do you suppose the manufacturer would not recommend using a perfectly fine pre-emergent that inhibits root growth on the lawn? There is so much room for plant damage on that label you could grow a banyan tree in it. 'Injury' sure sounds like 'collateral plant damage' to me. I am a lapsed pesticide applicator and working gardener who knows full well how chemicals get used on houses and in gardens in the REAL WORLD. In real gardens. There is so much room for plant damage on that label in the hands of your average non-gardening home owners, it boggles the mind that you could some how overlook it. Not to mention, "This pesticide is extremely toxic to freshwater marine and estuarine fish and aquatic invertebrates ….." That most assuredly is Collateral Damage. "Aside from that, it makes NO restrictions on what plants it can be used with -." Uh yes it does. "Do not use with crops other than those listed on the label." It is a violation of federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with the labeling. But you know that. Not in the mood to discuss mitosis eh? Fine.