Hybrid Poplar cuttings

[dutch]

We bought about 30 Hybrid Poplar trees to start a windbreak around our home. What we are doing is planting the poplars to the outside, and quality trees on the inside. Since they are now about 8' tall I'd like to take some cuttings to plant in the spring. Can anyone tell me the right way to go about this?
Thanks,
Mike

[Dave_Fullmer]

Mike,

I really don't think there is a wrong way to do it.  I bought 4 of those trees about 15 years ago and planted them.  When they grew to about 6 foot, I took the trimmings from them and just stuck the trimmings in the ground.  Seems like they all rooted and grew.

I had planted these in the yard, and I soon realized that I really didn't like them.  Two years ago I cut them down and I can't get rid of the shoots that keep coming up.  These things keep on growing, they are almost as bad as Kudzoo.

You can take the cuttings and put them in a pail of water and they will soon root, or you can put them in the ground and keep them moist and they will root.  Try some both ways, you won't run out of cuttings.

Hope this helps,
Dave

[Ron Scott]

That should do it. Cut stems about 12 inches or so in length, place each at desired spacing in moist soil (not too moist), and watch them grow.

Keep soil moist until growth is established, then let nature take its course.

[Dave_Fullmer]

Yeah, and then when you decide to get rid of them because of the mess they make in the yard, you can't.  I cut all of mine last year, didn't know about Tordon, and the shoots just keep comming up.  They are almost as bad as Kudsoo

[etat]

Kudsu, we've got plenty of that around here if anybody wants some.  It'll cover and kill yer trees, take over yer land, and cover old houses til you can't even see em.  Poison'll knock it back, but it won't kill it, roots too deep.  Only real way to control it is to pasture it and put goats or cows on it, they love it.  Years ago the forrestry service sprigged it out to controll washes.  I remember hearing my granddaddy talk about helpin. NOT one of his best memories.

[etat]

Soooooo, ok.

[dutch]

I know these trees suck, that's why we planted them on the outside of the windbreak. By the time they start to die off, the quality trees will be decent sized. As for making a mess in my lawn, they are in a field not turf grass, so that's not an issue. I can't root them now, I live in Michigan, and need to keep them dormant until spring. I read something about taking cuttings in the winter and storing them in the freezer until spring.

Mike

[UNCLEBUCK]

my neighbor planted about 300 acres of hybrid poplar about 12 years ago on his crp acreage and they are now about 20 + feet tall , he plans to sell the stumpage in 5 more years, the neighbors hate him for planting them and the local bee keepers tell me that the hybrids are bad for honey bee business, does anyone know why this is, the only thing I can think of is that every year a crop sprayer airplane sprays the whole 300 acres with some kind of chemical, I thought about planting a few acres but I dont think I want to tick off the neighbors, I better stick with the minnesota native pine stuff , the d.n.r. nurseries in minnesota are all sold out of every type of pine for the 2004 planting season and its only january 4th, they have plenty of hybrid poplar though