I just found this thread- well over a year late. I live in the mountains near Colorado Springs and have grown many bonsai of native species for many years- including an aspen grove. It is in a pot about 27" X 15" X 2". All that was said above about the faults of these trees is true. Also digging a sucker up and having it survive the transplant is risky, but like you, I have loads to risk and nothing to lose. The transplant works best if done in spring just before the buds break open. Another trick, if you have patience, is to cut one or both of the sucker roots a few inches on each side of the tiny tree(s) you want but leave it right there. These suckers are usally just an inch or 2 under the ground and grow horizontal. Give it a long time- like 'til next spring to form some new fine feeder roots, and then move into a pot. Aspen like lots of water and when established in a pot will often throw up new suckers of their own leading to a grove. I started with two groves of 3 trees each and after a couple of years put them together in a very large pot only 2" deep. I keep it sheltered in the winter and this helps some but nearly always lose at least one tree per season. Each spring I replace a dead one with a new one. I keep one orr 2 dead ones too as that is natural part of a forest. Bonsai rquires lots of patience, but since you have lots of available material give it a try. Also see if you can join a club in your area- no better way to learn. Good luck.

As long as it's dry it burns very well. In New England we burn 'popple', (quaint folk name for poplar, aspen, etc) during the fall and spring. It burns hot and fast and is often enough to just take the chill out of the air without getting the house too hot. But, I wouldn't want to only have that in the dead of winter unless you like to babysit your stove and feed it every two hours.

It is very likely that you'd have root/stump sprouts. Go ahead and cut the tree ASAP. Leaving the girdled tree standing actually somewhat decreases the chance of suckering because cytokinins, that are produced in the root tips and encourage adventitious shoot development, are translocated though xylem (inner part of the trunk) and will not remain concentrated in the root system if the xylem is still intact. By coppicing the tree now, cytokinins will build up in the roots and stump and root/stump suckers are likely to develop. If it were me, I'd make the cut fairly close to the ground. Suckers originating from the roots will probably make a better start than sprout originating from the remaining stump.

where is the old post??? give them a few more weeks.. or months ... then remove any dead parts ... why?? poor stock.. improper shipping from grower to seller.. or to your house .... improper planting.. mild winter .. mid winter thawing .. improper watering after planting ... pick one or all ... you may never know ... all trees releader.. and a little guidance from you wont help.. in tree time.. so in a year or 3 ... you might want to remove competing leaders to one ... who is selling aspen in detroit ... ahh.. thats what i asked in the other post ... ken