How to Grow Poplars

Prepare the planting site in a sunny location. Remove all the vegetation in a 5-foot-diameter circle.

Dig a hole that is three times as wide and three times as deep as the root ball. Scuff the sides and bottom of the planting hole with the edge of your spade or shovel. This helps the roots to penetrate beyond the sides of the hole.

Amend the soil with 4 inches of compost. This helps lighten the soil to provide better drainage and add nutrients.

Fill in the hole with amended soil until it is two-thirds full.

Remove the poplar tree from the container. Loosen the soil around the root ball with the edge of your trowel. If roots are visible, tease them away from the root ball with your fingers. If the roots are left growing in this position, they will slowly choke the tree to death.

Place the root ball in the center of the hole. Inspect the top of the root ball with the surrounding soil to make sure it is level.

Fill the hole with amended soil around the root ball until it is half full. Firm the soil with your hands to remove air pockets. Finish filling in the hole with amended soil and tamp the soil down.

Water the poplar tree thoroughly to a depth of 18 inches. Give the poplar at least 1-1/2 inches of water per week for the first year. Cut back on watering if you notice that the leaves are light green or drooping. This usually indicates that the tree is receiving too much water.

Place a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around the tree. Leave 1 to 2 inches of space between the mulch and the tree trunk. If the mulch is against the bark it could rot the bark, making the tree more susceptible to disease. Mulch helps the soil maintain moisture, and keeps weeds from growing.

Feed the poplar tree with a 10-10-10 slow release fertilizer tablet. Fertilize the poplar tree twice a month when it is coming out of dormancy. During the summer months, fertilize once a month. Do not fertilize in the fall or allow the fertilizer to touch the tree trunk.