Radically pruning an aspen...?
 

Howdy,

About 8 months ago, I had access to the use of a mini-excavator for
several days. Among other things, I used it to (crudely) transplant a
bunch of small trees. I just scooped 'em up, and placed them into
holes that I had prepared for the purpose. Most were evergreens, and
all of those are doing remarkably well. Their color is great, and they
all show lots of new growth.

One was an aspen, and it is the cause of my question:

It is far taller than all the others (about 15' tall) and, because it
was growing in a wooded area, it had leaves only at the very top. In
its new location, it is exposed to full sun.

It appears to be loaded with leaf buds at the top, but none have
opened. I had assumed that it had not survived the transplantation,
but just recently discovered a few leaf shoots growing from its sides
about six or eight feet above the ground.

What should I do to increase the chances of the tree's survival?

I could just wait, but have also thought about sawing it off above the
highest point of the leaf shoots. Perhaps there are other thoughts.

What would you suggest?

Sincere thanks,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Radically pruning an aspen...?
 

On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 12:12:24 -0400, Kenneth
wrote:

Howdy,

It appears to be loaded with leaf buds at the top, but none have
opened. I had assumed that it had not survived the transplantation,
but just recently discovered a few leaf shoots growing from its sides
about six or eight feet above the ground.

What should I do to increase the chances of the tree's survival?

It's pruned itself, it's a survival mechanism that swings in when a
tree is in serious trouble. Just cut it above the new 'epicormic'
growth. It will be a while before it starts to grow really well again
and future pruning will need to be done with care to produce a well
balanced strong tree again.
Rod

Weed my address to reply

http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

Radically pruning an aspen...?
 

Aspens and cotton woods (Populus) are painfully easy to grow from seeds, and
painfully hard to transplant. I have had this experience on both coasts and
the Rocky mountains. Wild-dug Populus from the 'woods' almost never do well
IME. Sorry.

--
Mike LaMana, MS
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net




"Kenneth" wrote in message
...
Howdy,

About 8 months ago, I had access to the use of a mini-excavator for
several days. Among other things, I used it to (crudely) transplant a
bunch of small trees. I just scooped 'em up, and placed them into
holes that I had prepared for the purpose. Most were evergreens, and
all of those are doing remarkably well. Their color is great, and they
all show lots of new growth.

One was an aspen, and it is the cause of my question:

It is far taller than all the others (about 15' tall) and, because it
was growing in a wooded area, it had leaves only at the very top. In
its new location, it is exposed to full sun.

It appears to be loaded with leaf buds at the top, but none have
opened. I had assumed that it had not survived the transplantation,
but just recently discovered a few leaf shoots growing from its sides
about six or eight feet above the ground.

What should I do to increase the chances of the tree's survival?

I could just wait, but have also thought about sawing it off above the
highest point of the leaf shoots. Perhaps there are other thoughts.

What would you suggest?

Sincere thanks,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Radically pruning an aspen...?
 

Aspens and cotton woods (Populus) are painfully easy to grow from seeds, and
painfully hard to transplant. I have had this experience on both coasts and
the Rocky mountains. Wild-dug Populus from the 'woods' almost never do well
IME. Sorry.

--
Mike LaMana, MS
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net




"Kenneth" wrote in message
...
Howdy,

About 8 months ago, I had access to the use of a mini-excavator for
several days. Among other things, I used it to (crudely) transplant a
bunch of small trees. I just scooped 'em up, and placed them into
holes that I had prepared for the purpose. Most were evergreens, and
all of those are doing remarkably well. Their color is great, and they
all show lots of new growth.

One was an aspen, and it is the cause of my question:

It is far taller than all the others (about 15' tall) and, because it
was growing in a wooded area, it had leaves only at the very top. In
its new location, it is exposed to full sun.

It appears to be loaded with leaf buds at the top, but none have
opened. I had assumed that it had not survived the transplantation,
but just recently discovered a few leaf shoots growing from its sides
about six or eight feet above the ground.

What should I do to increase the chances of the tree's survival?

I could just wait, but have also thought about sawing it off above the
highest point of the leaf shoots. Perhaps there are other thoughts.

What would you suggest?

Sincere thanks,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Radically pruning an aspen...?
 

I don't think I would cut the top out at this point. If you have
time, I would just wait it out for a while and see what develops.
Then if after a while you have healthy, new lower growth and the top
is still dead, you could cut the top out and still have a nice tree.
Another option might be to select a smaller tree. The little ones
(1-2 ft. tall) have a much better survival rate. They grow fast, so
you won't have to wait forever to have a nice tree. Also, in my
experience of transplanting aspen trees from the Rocky Mtns., it
seems that they do better if you can get a small clump of about 3
trees.
BTW - Be sure to get permission before taking trees from private
property or public lands, to avoid hefty fines, jail, other hassles,
etc.
Hope this is helpful.
Gary

Radically pruning an aspen...?
 

"Kenneth" wrote in message
...

About 8 months ago, I had access to the use of a mini-excavator for
several days. Among other things, I used it to (crudely) transplant a
bunch of small trees. I just scooped 'em up, and placed them into
holes that I had prepared for the purpose. Most were evergreens, and
all of those are doing remarkably well. Their color is great, and they
all show lots of new growth.

One was an aspen, and it is the cause of my question:

It is far taller than all the others (about 15' tall) and, because it
was growing in a wooded area, it had leaves only at the very top. In
its new location, it is exposed to full sun.

It appears to be loaded with leaf buds at the top, but none have
opened. I had assumed that it had not survived the transplantation,
but just recently discovered a few leaf shoots growing from its sides
about six or eight feet above the ground.

What should I do to increase the chances of the tree's survival?

Aspens (what eastern Canadians call poplar)
are hardy but short-lived and prone to disease,
i.e. weed trees in this locality. The 1998 ice
storm stripped half a dozen of my poplars like
popsicle sticks 12 to 18 feet high, but all have
since grown out as well as up.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)