Planted these two Quaken Aspen Trees in December of 2018. The two photos below were taken in May of 2020. I live in Hacienda Heights, 91745, Southern California, Zone 10. Quaken Aspen are recommended to be grown in Zones 2 thru 6. Searching around the internet, someone claimed that he/she was successful in planting Aspen trees in Yucaipa, CA. This person recommended planting the trees in winter. So I thought to try my luck, after taking a road trip to Aspendale, CA (https://goo.gl/maps/1vJnCEjDtRA9KJsy5).

After planting the two Aspen trees, I immediately started watering with Vitamin B-1 Liquid Fertilizer (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Western-States-1-Gal-Vitamin-B-1-Liquid-Fertilizer-100047058/100607914), ...as the description claims that it "promotes root growth". I needed every advantage that I can get. I continued using the B-1 liquid fertilizer for the first 6 months or so, per the direction of the label. Ended up going through two (1 Gal.) bottles worth. After the two bottles of B-1, I would save eggshells and use it as fertilizer. Read somewhere that eggs shell contain nitrogen and is great as compost, since it bio-grades relatively slowly. These are a couple of tips/pointers that I would associate with my two Aspen trees taking root in my backyard.

I hope these two Aspen trees continues to thrive. Still am very nervous about the summer heat waves in Southern California. The summer heat killed off (wilted) most of the foliage during 2019, but I continued to water them daily, in hopes of keeping the trees alive. I was so relieved that the two trees took root and stayed alive, being that they were $65 each when i bought them, (https://www.naturehills.com/). I am so glad that I did not waste my money in an attempt to grow these trees outside of their recommended zones.

Started back in April of this year (2020), I have made an attempt to water the two Aspen trees twice a day, once in the morning and once at dusk, and it seemed to have helped promote more foliage this year, in comparison to Mid-May of last year (2019), where I would only water once at dusk. I will continue with the "twice-a-day" through summer and see where it leads me. I am hoping that watering the trees twice a day and will aid the foliage in surviving the summer heat in SoCal. Hopefully, I can report back, Fall 2020, with some updated photos of YELLOW foliage! Wish me luck.