BiggerPockets Founder · HI · Member since 2008 · 16k+ posts · 5k+ votes
I'm looking for any advice that you guys have on dealing with Aspen shooters. I've got a bunch of great Aspens in my yard, but the shooters are relentless.
Does anyone have any tips for dealing with this nuisance?
Sorry Josh I think the only solution if you want to keep the aspens is to keep cutting the shooters.
http://news.ag.uidaho.edu:591/News/Homewise-db/FMPro?-db=homewise.fp5&-format=story2.htm&-lay=generic&-sortfield=title&date=9%2F1%2F2006..9%2F30%2F2006&-recid=33736&-find=
Aspens are basically weeds. They have a very shallow root system, and from those roots emerge shooters, which eventually become new aspen trees. It is a royal pain to maintain and I was hoping for some tips beyond keep cutting them when they sprout.
I think that's about all you can do. Aspens provide a nursery for pine trees. After a fire, aspens pop up first, then pine grow in the environment they produce. In 20 years or so, the aspens die off, and the pines take over. The shoots aren't really separate trees. They're all part of the same tree. They're really not native to Denver, but grow only at higher altitudes. But I'll admit I have a batch in my yard. Since they're right next to the driveway, I use the "run over them with the truck" to keep the shoots in check.
It sounds like one of your Aspen trees is dying. From what I have read these shooters come up quite often from a dying tree or from one of the roots that were damaged.
Here is just one suggestion I found about "controlling" these shooters.
When I mentioned to a neighbor last fall that I seemed to have a hopeless problem trying to get rid of some thistles that kept coming up in my front lawn in spite of everything I had tried to get rid of them, she said her husband used Weed B Gone on them and other weeds in their lawn. Well, I decided to give it a try this year—and since the aspens coming up in my lawn qualify as weeds also, I tried it on them—and it seems to be working! Actually—knock on wood—the Weed B Gone seems to be getting rid of the aspens surprisingly easily. There are always more coming up since my entire front lawn is "infested" from the neighbor’s dying aspen, but I just keep a pressure sprayer around with the mixed solution in it, and every other week or so—whenever I notice some of them—I get it out and spritz them.Thank goodness! They look SO bad since they grow faster than the grass and are always sticking out all over before I cut the grass again and making the whole yard look really ratty.
I'm glad to hear that the tree shooters are weeds. I was picturing some gang bangers trying to kill Josh's tree! My suggestion would have been to call the police, but I don't think that will work with weeds.
I have a plum tree that does the same thing. Any mechanical damage that happens to the root causes a new shoot to pop up. So, when I cut the edge of the grass to mulch, up come some more shoots. When the lawn gets aerated in that vicinity, up come more shoots. When I cut the darned things, up come more shoots.
Now, I also have this silver maple tree that broadcasts those whirly jig things, which are actually seeds. And they sprout just about anywhere they land. Luckily, I can just pluck those out by the root when they are freshly sprouted - but still a pain.
Nature has programmed these things for survival by this mechanism; tough to beat Mother Nature.
I'm looking for any advice that you guys have on dealing with Aspen shooters. I've got a bunch of great Aspens in my yard, but the shooters are relentless.
Does anyone have any tips for dealing with this nuisance?
Josh,
We must have much the same yards. There is a product called 'Sucker Stopper RTU". Its a bit tough to find as its not always stocked at the big boxes (home depot, lowes and the like). You might have to look at a smaller place like ACE or a local nursery. This stuff you clip and then spray this stuff on the shooter you just clipped. It sort of caps it, and its done. I use quite a bit each year and its really bad if I prune a tree. Anyway... it works!
Got to love Colorado... ehe?
They will spread out anywhere there is water. That means they aren't too much trouble here in the desert. I just don't water where i don't want them.
I just mow the ones in the lawn.
Unfortunately, one tree has discovered my fruit orchard, which gets lots of water. I cut the saplings for awhile, and now I'm spraying them with Round-up. Unfortunately, I expect it to kill the mama tree. It's a beauty and a tree I'd like to keep, but I can't have the aspens taking over my fruit orchard.
One way is to spray with a Tordon product like Grazon. It is death on trees and harmless to grass. BUT beware,,,it will kill underlying roots of desirable trees also.
It is a great lawn broadleaf control also,with above limitations of killing desireable trees underlying roots,,,the weed B gone is basicly a 2-4-D product which knocks them back also,,,but NOT as toxic to underlying good tree roots
The 'CUT" sapling treatment MAY be one way around this,,but the active ingredient of it 'piclorin'(sp) is death on wheels for trees.
And as far as roundup,if ONLY kills green stuff,,,so when spray hits ground,inactivated. So as far as killing mother tree in orchard,,,not unless you sprayed it OR it got alot of spray drift!! Roundup is GREAT stuff that way!!
Bumping this thread up from the depths. Ive got a bunch of these Aspen shooters at my primary residence in Broomfield. Wondering what all you other Denverites determined was the best strategy for dealing with this? Just keep cutting em? Weed b Gone? Sucker Stopper RTU? Any advice is appreciated.
If I had Aspen on a property, I'd put some serious thought into removing them. Here's why.
1. Aspens are a pretty short lived tree. 30 years or so. If they are full grown and mature, they may have 10-15 years left in them. I'd prefer to invest in a tree that in 15 years will still be viable.
2. They are prone to disease, and insects especially in the lower elevations.
3. As someone noted, they are shallow rooted, and, being of the poplar family, water lovers. In Denver, we have so much rain (sic), the tree's biggest source of water is either your sprinkler system or your water/sewer pipes. Aspens are equal opportunity invaders, and will hog all the water your grass should be getting, or poke holes in your septic system. Isn't that a fun thought.