Poplar trees/ cuttings

I am no expert on this, but I have done it several times without any failures, so here goes.

Wait until very early spring, maybe two weeks or so before the buds would normally break. Find the strongest and most upright twigs you can find that are at least as thick as a pencil and better if as thick as your little finger and cut approximately 10--12 inch lengths. These should be from last year's growth--older twigs will work, but not as well. You can cut several from one twig if they are long enough. If you can't get ones like what I describe, get the best you can.

Then remove all the buds from each 10--12 inch section up to the top, leaving only two (one is all that is necessary, but I like one as a back-up). You can tell what is the top of the twig by the direction the winter buds are pointing. You don't need a terminal bud.

Then you dig up an area of soil about three feet across and work the soil to a depth of at least one foot--more is better. Then you step on the soil you have worked until you have it packed down firmly, but don't stomp it really hard. Then you take the twigs and push them down into the ground until just the top two buds that you have left are showing. Your instinct may be to leave more of the twig above ground--don't--just leave the inch or two that has the two buds that you left. You want most of the twig underground for the roots.

After you push them in you can give the soil around them a little more pressure to make sure that it is firmly up against the whole length of the twig--you can use your heel for this and be a little firmer than before. For each tree you want you can push in two or three twigs and after they grow for one year you can choose the best one for each tree you want. Keep the area completely free of weeds and grasses--this is very important. Mulch and water like you would any transplanted tree.

This works for willows and aspens also. With these kinds of trees almost 100% of the twigs will "take."

--Spruce

You'll get better success with larger cuttings. In forestry, poplars are propagated from branch sections about 2m long and 5-10cm thick; trim off any side branches, and trim a point on the bottom end, then ram the cuttings into the ground for ¾ of their length. After one growing season, prune back to one straight stem.

PS Aspen is unusual among poplars in not rooting from stem cuttings; aspen propagation needs root cuttings.

Resin

Resin:

Yes, not aspen. I had something in my head tell me that--some vague memory, but I had already hit the submit button. It is interesting that many of the hybrid poplars are crossed with aspen, but yet they root.

Well, I have never heard of the system you have over there for propagating poplar with cuttings. The MD Forest Service offers hybrid poplar cuttings and they come in bundles of cuttings just like I described.

Anyway, I am very much amused by the responses I get to my suggestions about how to do this or that, such as transplanting trees, etc. I write up these elaborate step-by-step procedures in detail, and someone comes along and says something like "just pull the tree up by the roots and shove it in the ground bareroot and everything will be fine." Yeah, just get a branch strip a few buds and jam it in. I am really laughing--yes, I do make things complicated. No, I really don't think I have some kind of compulsive perfectionist disorder. lol!

--Spruce

Spruce and Pineresin, thanks for the info, I better check if my trees are no aspen, learning something everytime here.

It is just something to try for fun hobby .

Just one question, how do I know the difference between Aspen or "regular poplar" ?

The easiest way to tell is the leaves - those on mature aspen branches are nearly round, those on poplars are more or less triangular, with a pointed apex. Note though that young sprouts (up to 4-5 years old) on aspens also have more triangular leaves similar to other poplars.

Aspen leaves (adult leaves left, juvenile leaf right):

Resin

Well this weekend gone give this a try, thanks for the info
Hopefully many trees will get started .

you facts are a bit confusing.. but if you have dead poplars .. you will probably have suckers popping up all over the place . ...

but poplars are short lived fast growing trees .... and disease prone for me ....

if i were you .. i would play with the poplars .. but start planting some better longer lived trees ....

i would contact my local soil conservation district .... if you are in the US .... no clue what it might be called in CAN .... and find out if they have had there plant sales yet in your cold zone .... and get some better trees ... in my area ... they were selling such for under a buck or two each .. and some varieties like pines were 25 for 17 bucks .... diversifying your tree line will reward you in the long run ....

i had poplars... over 5 years they all became diseased and i have gotten rid of almost all of them .... anytime i pruned them ... i would stick some of the branches into the ground .... about the size of a pencil or a bit thicker .. pruned to a whip .... no side branches .... and pushed them into the soil as far as i could.. at least 6 inches .... too many of them lived .. lol ... on pure sand ... in better soil .. they will probably all live.. try some in pots also with potting soil .. keep moist but not dripping wet ... and i wouldn't be surprised if they rooted in water ... you have a free and large supply of wood to work with ... just try anything that comes to mind ... and some will root ...

good luck

ken

Hi Ken,

He's just wanting to replace some other dead trees (species not indicated). He's also in zone 3 in Canada, where short lifespan and disease problems are not significant poplar features.

Resin

thanks resin .. i suspected as much with the zone 3 ....

but they still are poplars .. lol ...

why isnt he using evergreens for a wind break regardless??? or what he call a shelter break ... seems like deciduous trees would NOT be much of a shelter for the long cold winters of zone THREE ... brrr .. when is spring up there anyway .. july????? ... lol

ken

For your information,

April 18 2007 lots of SNOW !!!!!!

I like poplars, grow easy, fast for windbreak .
Evergreens take forever, although the are planted ten years ago the are only between 4-6 ft tall ( after all the care they got ! ) Even my apple trees grow faster ( and YES we can grow some apples in zone 3 !!! )

But the poplars are fast growing, can be used for many purposes ( firewood etc. ) and I want to start with growing something realitively easy to start with .

Will try bur oak and some ''local'' apple tree varieties this fall .

Tried it and so far it is working, will try more this week .
Thanks for helping me out !!!

Just an update

This is working great, started them out in a 5 gallon pail,
now I have 14 root stock poplars that I just planted out .

Just the beginning, just learning all the time !!!