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Author: Way Back JackWay Back Jack Date: Aug 22, 2007 05:49
In the 70s, these trees were highly touted for their fast growth in
any soil. The approximate estimated life was 50 years, far longer
than the junky Lombardy poplar.
I personally planted 300-400, the best variety of which was the
Androscoggin poplar. Within 10 years, they were 50-80 ft, and the
Androscoggin had a wide crown and thick trunk to boot. Some autumns
they yielded a bright, buttery leaf. You could break off a stem,
stick it in the ground, and have a tree in no time. The only chore
with this cloning method of propagation was that you had to keep weeds
away for two years until they were established. If you planted one
that already had roots, no weeding was needed.
OK, that was the good news. If you decide to go with hybrid pops, be
aware that they eventually show thick protruding roots than can mess
up mower blades. Of course, that's the case with lots of trees. But
in 20-25 years, they come down. Sometimes the whole thing comes down
in storms. More often, the top 1/3 of the trunk simply breaks off.
It is dry and dead, while the rest of the tree is still filled with
sap. Strange .. and ugly. This was especially true with the
non-Androscoggin varieties.
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Author: Larry CaldwellLarry Caldwell Date: Aug 22, 2007 19:56
> Except for one humongous Androscoggin at the edge of the property, all
> have either come down on their own or I had them taken down. Got
> tired of cleaning up hybrid mess in the neighbor's field.
Why in the world did you plant them in the first place if you weren't
going to harvest them for biomass? Planting hybrid poplar for
landscaping is about like planting wheat for a lawn. It's just not
going to work, and anybody should have told you that.
Sorry you wasted all that effort.
--
For email, replace firstnamelastinitial
with my first name and last initial.
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Author: AnnAnn Date: Aug 23, 2007 03:29
On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:56:23 -0700, Larry Caldwell wrote:
>> Except for one humongous Androscoggin at the edge of the property, all
>> have either come down on their own or I had them taken down. Got
>> tired of cleaning up hybrid mess in the neighbor's field.
>
> Why in the world did you plant them in the first place if you weren't
> going to harvest them for biomass?
Windbreak, riparian buffer, wildlife cover/food, stabilize waste areas,
quick screens, and harvest for chipboard and pulp. My guess is that it's
most used in the plains states. In the NorthEast, poplar is an early
succession tree that will eventually be overtaken by other species.
Someone tried a few acres of hybrid poplars about a half-mile from me and
they didn't make it through the first summer/winter.
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Date: Aug 23, 2007 04:15
On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:56:23 -0700, Larry Caldwell
peaksky.com> wrote:
>> Except for one humongous Androscoggin at the edge of the property, all
>> have either come down on their own or I had them taken down. Got
>> tired of cleaning up hybrid mess in the neighbor's field.
>
>Why in the world did you plant them in the first place if you weren't
>going to harvest them for biomass? Planting hybrid poplar for
>landscaping is about like planting wheat for a lawn. It's just not
>going to work, and anybody should have told you that.
My goal was to create a forest from a cow pasture. I knew nothing
about trees and believed the claims and advertising which were
apparently supported by government testing. Books like Wyman's and
Pirone's did not address hybrid popolars because they were apparently
so new.
Live and learn.
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Date: Aug 23, 2007 05:17
Jack wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:56:23 -0700, Larry Caldwell
> peaksky.com> wrote:
> >>> Except for one humongous Androscoggin at the edge of the property, all
>>> have either come down on their own or I had them taken down. Got
>>> tired of cleaning up hybrid mess in the neighbor's field.
>> Why in the world did you plant them in the first place if you weren't
>> going to harvest them for biomass? Planting hybrid poplar for
>> landscaping is about like planting wheat for a lawn. It's just not
>> going to work, and anybody should have told you that.
>
> My goal was to create a forest from a cow pasture. I knew nothing
> about trees and believed the claims and advertising which were
> apparently supported by government testing. Books like Wyman's and
> Pirone's did not address hybrid popolars because they were apparently
> so new. ...
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Author: ClaireClaire Date: Aug 23, 2007 05:59
On Aug 22, 8:49 am, retired10.5ye...@ home.net (Way Back Jack) wrote: > In the 70s, these trees were highly touted for their fast growth in
> any soil. The approximate estimated life was 50 years, far longer
> than the junky Lombardy poplar.
>
> I personally planted 300-400, the best variety of which was the
> Androscoggin poplar. Within 10 years, they were 50-80 ft, and the
> Androscoggin had a wide crown and thick trunk to boot. Some autumns
> they yielded a bright, buttery leaf. You could break off a stem,
> stick it in the ground, and have a tree in no time. The only chore
> with this cloning method of propagation was that you had to keep weeds
> away for two years until they were established. If you planted one
> that already had roots, no weeding was needed.
>
> OK, that was the good news. If you decide to go with hybrid pops, be
> aware that they eventually show thick protruding roots than can mess
> up mower blades. Of course, that's the case with lots of trees. But
> in 20-25 years, they come down. Sometimes the whole thing comes down
> in storms. More often, the top 1/3 of the trunk simply breaks off.
> It is dry and dead, while the rest of the tree is still filled with ...
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Author: AnnAnn Date: Aug 23, 2007 06:50
On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:15:31 +0000, Jack wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:56:23 -0700, Larry Caldwell
> peaksky.com> wrote:
>
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Author: JackJack Date: Aug 23, 2007 07:46
On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:50:59 GMT, Ann epix.net> wrote:
>At least where I live, cow pastures were generally on soil that wasn't
>good enough for field crops. I suggest contacting your County Ag-Extension
>Agent He/she will be able to suggest species that are right for your
>situation. (Caution: Think decades, not years.)
I'm 63 and not thinking of decades.
Yes, the hybrid pops were a failure, but the 800 or red, sugar, and
Norway maples; fast growing red oaks of various species; Austrian
pines; and tuliptrees that I personally planted over an 8-year-period
have been an unqualified success.
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Author: JackJack Date: Aug 23, 2007 07:46
On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:17:32 -0400, Frank
wrote:
>I planted a half dozen for a screen in a section of my lot also
>believing the advertising hype. My experience was the same except I
>created problem for new property owner as to what I thought was property
>line on vacant lot was over the line. Over 30 years in this house, I've
>been able to see what happens from planting seedlings to their maturity.
>I have several other trees that I wish I had not planted.
>
>Frank
You and I share common experiences:
1) Hybrid poplar fiasco
2) Crossing property lines.
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Author: AnnAnn Date: Aug 23, 2007 11:13
On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:46:17 +0000, Jack wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:50:59 GMT, Ann epix.net> wrote:
>
> >>At least where I live, cow pastures were generally on soil that wasn't
>>good enough for field crops. I suggest contacting your County Ag-Extension
>>Agent He/she will be able to suggest species that are right for your
>>situation. (Caution: Think decades, not years.)
>
> I'm 63 and not thinking of decades.
>
> Yes, the hybrid pops were a failure, but the 800 or red, sugar, and
> Norway maples; fast growing red oaks of various species; Austrian
> pines; and tuliptrees that I personally planted over an 8-year-period
> have been an unqualified success.
That's almost one decade.
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