During the early establishment phase, outplanted hybrid poplar seedlings are the most vulnerable to lethargic growth or mortality because of interspecific competition with non-crop plant species for available soil moisture and nutrients. Consequently, there is a need to develop practical vegetation management practices that are not only successful at controlling non-crop species, but also cost-effective for producers looking to minimize their input costs. The objectives of this two-year study were to: i) evaluate the effects of different combinations of within-row (plastic mulch, herbicide, and control) and between-row (tillage, herbicide, and control) vegetation management practices on soil moisture, nutrients, and temperature and the early growth of four hybrid poplar clones (Walker, Assiniboine, WP-69, and Hill) and, ii) assess the relationship between growing season soil nutrient supply rates, measured using in situ burials of ion exchange membrane (Plant Root Simulator^TM-Probes), and growth of different hybrid poplar clones. Determining the effects of different vegetation management practices on growth-limiting edaphic properties and subsequent seedling growth should help to support effective management strategies, in terms of selecting an efficacious and cost-effective weed control strategy that promotes the establishment and growth of hybrid poplar seedlings, while minimizing the input costs incurred by the producer.