Host Rebecca Kolls grew up in the Rocky Mountains, and the thing she loved most about the mountains was the quaking aspen mixed in with the pines. "I'm older now," Rebecca says, "and I've moved around a lot since then, but to remind me of home, I've always managed to plant a grove of quaking aspen in my landscape."
What attracts people to quaking aspen? Leaves that whistle in the breeze in shimmering shades of subtle greens that turn a buttery yellow color as fall arrives. These fast growers, typically reaching heights of 40 feet or taller, provide interest all season long with their white trunks and distinct markings.
Rebecca shows how to plant a cluster of aspens to recreate nature. Rather than lugging the trees out and dragging them around, she drives some stakes in the ground in the area she has selected and takes a look at the placement. She also considers the placement from the vantage point of the patio, where the homeowners will probably spend most of their time. From that direction, the stakes look too linear, so she moves them around a bit. She places the stakes fairly close together because that is what quaking aspens do in nature.
Spring and fall are the perfect times to plant a tree. Before she digs the holes, she checks that there are no utility lines in the area. She digs the hole about two times as wide as the root ball but not as deep as the container.
The rules for planting trees have changed. Research has found that trees are often planted too deeply. She takes the tree out of the container and pulls off the top layer of soil to find the first leader root. She places the root ball in the hole, making sure that this leader is about one to two inches under the soil surface to help anchor the tree. Before planting the tree, though, she untangles the roots. You can tease roots with your fingers or use a knife to score the sides.
She places the tree in the hole, checks the level and then backfills with half the soil and adds water. This helps remove air pockets and settles the soil. The final step is to add mulch.
Remember that when planting trees and shrubs, you don't have to amend the soil. Also, do not stake trees because unstaked trees develop stronger trunks. Only stake a tree if it starts to lean dramatically.
Aspens send out suckers to a create a grove in about three years. So in no time, the homeowners will hear these beautiful trees whistle in the wind.
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