Superior Hybrid Poplar Tree Populus

1. Planting: Hybrid Poplars grow well in various soils - simply make sure you're planting in an area with proper sunlight and well-drained soil.

Then, dig your hole two times the width and depth of the root system, position the tree into the hole and hold it straight. Begin back filling the hole with soil and be sure to completely cover your roots with soil, tamping down so that there are no air pockets underground. Water the planting site to settle the soil and then mulch to retain soil moisture. Mulching also helps to keep an competing growth from invading the planting area.

2. Watering: Hybrid Poplars should be planted in moist soil and be irrigated properly, especially in the first year of planting. Sites that maintain good moisture throughout the year are fine to minimize the need for further irrigation beyond year one. They can handle short-term flooding if the water keeps moving. For ample and continued growth, soil moisture should be monitored.

3. Fertilizing: In fertile soils, including some old pastures, the nitrogen released from organic matter within the soil can be sufficient to carry the trees for several years without the need for added fertilizer. However, a rate of 50 to 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year is the general rate applied if needed.

4. Pruning: Prune the trees during the dormant season, in winter. Look for diseased, dead, or damaged limbs as the tree matures. Make a small cut into them with the pruning shears, and if there is no green flesh inside, remove them. Cut at the point where they meet healthy limbs.