I got the Aspen!

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McGlory Southeast, NE(Zone 5a) May 11, 2006

This is sort of a continuation of an old thread found here:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/568091/
But the old thread got a little off topic, hence the new one. I have new questions anyway.

So I got a lovely Aspen tree, big-tooth, I believe, and the guy I bought it from and I planted it April 2. He didn't have the right tools with him, so he told me he'd come back and prune off the lower branches. It's about 18 feet tall, with some smaller branches starting very near the ground. He hasn't come back, so obviously I need to prune it myself. Am I too late? It has already started leafing out. What tool do I need, something besides a saw? What time of year is best to do this? It feels wrong right now. Thanks for help.

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) May 11, 2006

You're right, it should be left until the dormant season. Your new tree is having enough trouble just getting its roots established -- don't make it worse by removing any goliage now.

You might decide you don't want to prune off those branches anyway. Give it a little time and see how it looks. Trees generally do better if you leave the lower branches on until they are shaded out by the ones above. The exception in this case might be to minimize branch scars on the white bark, but sometimes those add desirable character.

Guy S.

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McGlory Southeast, NE(Zone 5a) May 11, 2006

Thank you, Guy. Nice to know my instincts were correct. I'll have to tell my DH.

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