Stan:

Since moving out from southern Ontario several years ago, gardening has been a truly new experience, mostly good.

However along one edge of the lot there are a line of poplars (known in this neighbourhood as "bams") They have to be even more messy and untidy than the old Catalpa tree in my Ontario back garden!

Guests from England were horrified at the mess. They were here in late spring, just in time to track in the sticky seed cover, see the white seed fluff cover the garden as a blanket of snow and then to be bopped on the head with the dried empty seed pods as they were having there dinner aperitif. I have finally convinced my spouse they must go (getting a wood stove which will need fuel certainly has helped the repeated request!)

When would be the best time to go about felling these trees? Unfortunately I often work Sunday mornings and therefore am not always able to hear your program (which I must say has been extremely informative and assistive as this northern gardening is different from the Niagara Peninsula)

Hoping you will be able to respond,

Many thanks,

Wendy Fawcett,
Alberta

Wendy - The black female poplars that provide the seed pods and fluff can be cut down any time. When cut, bore holes in the stump at least 6 or 7 inches deep and 1 inch wide to pour directly from the container, the weed killer 2,4,D. This should be done when the buds on native trees begin to swell. If you don't do this, the suckers from the poplar will take over.

The weed killer will be passed through the root system of the parent poplar. You may have to use 2 or 3 applications to be sure all the roots will be killed.

As the suckers begin to grow, or the current suckers now showing, will begin to wilt, then die a few days or weeks after application.