Willow cuttings

MacDanger

Hi

What's the best method / time for planting willow cuttings? I'm looking into creating a small willow tunnel for the kids

Thanks

The Continental Op

Anytime, but late November is normally good. If the area is exposed (wind) then early spring can be a better time. Where are you I'm nr Dungarvan? I grow about 30 different willows if you want some cuttings.

Normally you'd cut this years hardened wood into 30cm long lengths and just push them about 10cm into the ground. If you have enough material then you can use meter long lengths. That said almost any willow cutting will root even inch thick branches.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122497413#Comment_122497413

Does that work for all willow types (including all the wild native ones)?

The Continental Op

All willows and most poplars. I've a couple of willows I liked I just started after spotting them growing wild.

The only problem with unpruned wild willows is that you might have more difficulty getting ideal cutting material but even less than ideal bits will still root.

Pre Brexit I got a load from waterwillows.com

Their planting instructions

https://waterwillows.com/planting/willow-planting-instructions/

Also from their site what the OP is aiming for?

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122497413#Comment_122497413

I'm based in Mayo so probably too far but thanks for the offer 👍

This is the type of willow growing wild that I'm planning to use

IMG_20240813_101811.jpg

IMG_20240813_101752.jpg

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122497450#Comment_122497450

Yeah, ideally it would look something like that

The Continental Op

Those bits in the second picture would be ideal when they harden up a bit in November. You could take them now and root them in pots or even water. The problem then is you have to dig holes to plant them, with cutting its so easy to push them into the ground.

MacDanger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122497563#Comment_122497563

Sound, I'll put a reminder for November, stick them in the ground then and see how they get on. Thanks for your help, much appreciated

looksee

You do need a level of damp in the soil. A number of willows had been planted in this garden before I moved here and they are pretty much all gone, went rotten at the roots and base of (fairly large) trunk. Some just fell over, some were pushed over, literally I just leaned on them and they were gone with a small stump of poor roots, and some just died in mid leaf. The garden is very free draining, basically shale with a few inches of good soil. I did try to grow one of those willow structures but the cuttings and rooted trees that I bought just sat there and looked pathetic.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122497580#Comment_122497580

Those bits in the picture if you can get enough of them don't even cut them back just put as long a length as you can cut in the ground. You may find the top part dries up and dies off over winter in which case just cut it off.