Slide the hoe under the mulch and pull toward you just skim the surface of the soil. With practice the mulch will separated with the hoes passage and then can be straighted.

Most people use the hoe as a chopping instrument but it is really supposed to be used to cut the plants off at or just below the surface. Cutting at that depth will not stir up as many old seeds as cutting deeper.

It may be easier to just pull the shoots after a rainy day. Sit on a piece of cardboard and start pulling.

I let my oak seedling so too long so now I have a mess.

Thanks! That's very helpful. I will probably do a mix of pulling and hoeing.

The maple really seemed to go crazy this year--I can't believe how many shoots there are, all through the lawn and gardens!