How to Propagate Populus Alba

Examine the Populus alba to find the stems with new growth or soft wood. To tell if a stem is soft wood, bend the stem back. If it bends easily and does not snap or break, this is what you need for your cutting.

Take a 4- to 6-inch cutting of soft wood. Wrap the bottom end of the cutting in a wet paper towel so it does not dehydrate.

Fill 4-inch pots with potting soil. Potting soil is sold at most home garden centers or you can make your own by combining equal amounts of compost, peat moss and perlite.

Moisten the soil with water and allow the water to drain from the bottom drainage holes.

Remove the leaves from the stems, but leave the top two or three leaves.

Wet the bottom end of the cutting in a glass of water and then shake the cutting to remove the excess water.

Dip the wet end into rooting hormone and then tap the cutting to remove the excess rooting hormone.

Make a hole with the end of a pencil and then insert the end with rooting hormone into the hole. Firm the soil around the cutting with your fingers.

Place a clear plastic bag over the pot and put the pot in a bright window, but not in direct sunlight.

Check the cutting every other day and water the soil if it is dried out. Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy, or the cutting will rot.

Pull gently on the cutting after one month to check for roots. If you feel some resistance, the roots have formed. Remove the clear plastic bag. If the cutting pulls easily from the soil, the roots have not formed.

Transplant the Populus alba into a 6-inch pot filled with potting soil. Continue to grow in the pot for another two months before transplanting it into the ground.