Bareroot Quaking Aspen Planting Instructions

Bareroot Quaking Aspen Planting Instructions

These bareroot quaking aspen trees are sent to you dormant.  They have just come out of a cooler and are bare stems.  This is how they should look when they are dormant.  If roots look dry, soak in water for one hour before you plant.

Dormant bare root trees can be planted whenever your soil is not frozen.  These quaking aspen trees will do best if planted directly into the ground. If planted in a container, trees could have stunted growth unless planted in a 5 to 10 gallon container. This size of container would be fine for 1 to 2 years, or until the tree outgrows the container.  These are not house plants, PLANT OUTSIDE, in the ground if you can. They are very cold tolerant.  If your soil is frozen, place trees in a pot of moist soil and store in a cool / cold area out of the wind. Trees with leaves should not be planted until your nighttime temperatures are over 28 degrees.

         Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) is a fast-growing deciduous shade and ornamental tree, quaking aspens can grow 4 to 10 feet a year. Trees reach up to 40 feet tall and 15 to 20 foot wide at maturity. Grows in USDA zones 1-7 and zone 8 on the West Coast. Prefers full sun or partial sun and has a wide range of preferred soil conditions ranging from acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. Our seed comes from Northern Idaho and our trees can withstand summer rains without rust problems.

The trees will sucker if they are too dry or in low fertility soils.  Do not plant near septic lines.  When you plant, dig the hold wider, but not deeper than the roots of the tree. Mix in 20% compost.  Put the tree in the hole and water it in well to settle the soil around the roots of the tree. If you live in a hot dry climate add 1/3 a teaspoon of water gel to your planting hole, mix well with your soil.

If you have a deer problem, spray new growth with Plantskydd® deer repellant. Many independent nurseries sell it, or scan the code to find it on our website.  We have granular, bulk concentrate, and ready to-use liquid available in several sizes on the site. Plantskydd is the longest lasting deer repellent that we have found and use it at the nursery.  Unlike other deer repellents, Plantskydd will continue to be effective even after it has been rained on.

Planting looks best if planted to look like in nature. Plant individually or in clumps of 3 to 5 trees. If planting in clumps, trees should be 6 – 12 inches apart when planted. Otherwise, plant trees 6 – 12 feet apart.

For quick growth, water and fertilize more than normal the first 1 to 2 years to get rapid growth of up to 6 to 12 foot a year in height. Leaves will be twice the normal size, but will return to the normal size for quaking aspens the next year if the fertilizer amount is lowered.

Quaking aspen trees should be planted into the ground, however if planting in a container, use a larger pot with the correct potting soil and fertilizer and transplant the trees in the ground after the trees are fully rooted.

Fertilizer needs to be low salt. Organic fertilizers like fish, alfalfa, bat guano, kelp, bone meal and rock phosphate are OK, just keep the nutrients balanced, and watch the nutrient level so you do not add too much or too little. Do not use "hot organics” like blood meal or fresh chicken manure under 1 year aged. Chemical fertilizers should say on the label "for container growing". Do not use 10/10/10 or 16/16/16 and similar fertilizers as they are high salt and will burn your plants.

©Scenic Hill Farm Nursery, 2024

Scenic Hill Farm Nursery, 2820 NW Scenic Drive, Albany, OR 97321,

541-990-6099  scenichillfarmnursery.com