THEVES POPLAR - Populus nigra ?Afghanica? - 5 easy to root 6-8 inch cuttings. This popular very fast growing, columnar, upright tree grows quickly to 40- 60 ft tall and 20-25 foot wide. Can be grown in almost all soil and climates from USDA zone 3-9. Very disease resistant. Likes moist soil, but will tolerate periods of drought after it is established. Has excellent dark green summer color and yellow-gold Fall color. Theves is a sterile female clone and has no pollen. Bird and butterfly friendly. Lives longer and is more disease free than Lombardy Poplar and hybrid poplar. Great choice for screens. For a screening hedge, plant 8-10 ft apart. For a row of individual trees, plant 20 foot apart. For a windbreak, plant in front of a row of conifers. For a tree to shade a house, plant 30 feet from structure. Needs 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. Keep away from septic or water lines. Cuttings come without leaves. Plant right away, or place in your refrigerator up to a week before you plant. You do not need a rooting hormone. In cold winter weather, place cuttings in small containers of potting soil in a well lite sunny window to root out until you plant outside in the Spring. Do not let containers dry out. One bud should be above surface of soil. In Late winter or Spring, can be immediately planted by simply pushing cutting into moist soil so that all but one bud is covered. May plant directly in ground or in pots to plant into permanent location after tree has developed roots that are visible at bottom of pot. Do not let cutting dry out. In Late Spring, Summer or Fall, place cuttings in a bucket of water for several weeks, covering 1/3 of the cutting with water. When you see roots starting to form, plant and water in to settle soil around cutting. Cutting should be buried so that all but 1 bud is below ground level. Water to keep cutting moist until it is rooted (usually 3-4 weeks)...then water weekly. If leaves wilt, water, or in hot weather, provide partial shade until plant is rooted. If you have deer problems, spray new leaves with a deer repellent like Plantskydd, which is available in our store.. Keep your planting area mowed/weeded and watered. Installing a weed barrier is beneficial. Prune off all but the dominant stem after new growth is 3-6 inches long. Scenic Hill Farm is a licensed Oregon Nursery.