Brooklyn1 wrote:
On Sat, 05 Nov 2011 06:37:16 -0800, "David E. Ross"
wrote:

On 11/5/11 3:41 AM, Cheryl Isaak wrote:
Cheryl here in Southern NH, still recovering from "Snowtober"

Lost 4 of my poplars - three snapped in half. Should have cut the
other on down after hurricane Irene. Knew that one was on borrowed
time....


but as to the snapped trees. Each one was about halfway up - between
15-18 feet up. I think the of the two that face the house, one has
to come down the rest of the way. There are no branches below the
snap.

It's the other two that I have a question about - both have some
branches left. do you think they'll recover enough to continue to
provide shelter for local wildlife (birds, squirrels).

If it wasn't so ugly and depressing, I'd consider leaving the other
to see it would become woodpecker food. But I want a "pretty" view
out the front of the house.

All species in the genus Populus are fast-growing. They should
recover nicely, but they might require corrective pruning after
recovery. Even the one that has no branches should resprout. Just
leave all of them alone until spring. Pruning now will encourage
new growth that will be too tender to survive the winter.

Just watch out for root suckers, which are likely to result from
damage to the top. If you don't remove them promptly, you will have
a poplar thicket.

I don't consider poplars real trees, they are horrid giant weeds with
no redeeming value whatsoever, they're for pinheads who are into
quantity at the expense of quality... fortunately poplars don't live
long. My recommedation is to remove that trash and plant something
decent.

They do have a problem with breaking, as the OP has experienced.