Dealing with Poplar Tree Shedding

Poplar trees will alway do this. It the nature of the beast. We had 4 of them and they just do this. It's there pollen. We cut ours down. I realize this isn't very helpful but there's nothing you can do!

I am not sure how many you have or how large they are but maybe take one out every year?

Are they really Poplar trees, or are they Cotton Wood Trees? In Oregon we have lots of areas around wetland or along rivers and creeks that grow cotton wood trees like weeds and have long pods that burst open releasing that white fluffy, sneeze inducing, Eyes watering, stuff. Some areas at times look as though its snowing!! The trees can become very large in diameter, and very tall, but are know for large limbs snapping off unexpectedly, and during higher winds entire tops being snapped off. Pretty much useless for anything, if you cut and split it for firewood , you probably wont be able to burn it for a couple seasons of curing, and if your lucky enough to cure it and keep it dry it burns so fast it doesn't produce good heat! I think if you made lumber out of it you'd only be able to make low grade pallets with it---if even that. Atleast a real Poplar trees wood can be used for paint grade trim materials if milled properly and dried. It has become quit "Popular" for finish lumber and trim wood in our area.

If there are polar and cottonwood trees in your neighborhood there is nothing you can do but get used to it. A leaf blower or shop vac (reversed) can help with "drifts" and help get if out your screens.

Pray for a good rain storm to cut down on the time it takes for the fluffs to burst

All plants lose their leaves / branches etc from time to time and obviously there are seasonal changes to plants as part or their natural cycle. You say you can not afford to cut them all down but perhaps this is a project that can be done in stages e.g. cut a couple or one down now and trim some back so they are not near your paths and just keep at it. One step at a time.

I once read that cottonwoods were the first trees to grow on land and it was their thick, shallow roots that stabilized the soil. This made it possible for other plants to grow and die, eventually creating fertile topsoil. So if that's true, we owe the cottonwood some respect. I'd respect them a lot more if they grew somewhere else.

We had to cut our cottonwood down because the fluff was clogging up our air conditioner. I really hated to see it go because it was a beautiful shade tree.

I remember whole prairie towns in Canada looking like it was snowing in the summer. The towns passed edicts to only plant male trees to avoid this.

Thank you everyone! I went out today and hit it with the hose and it tamped it down some for now. At least the front porch will be usable for a few days. LOL!!