Willows keep mysteriously dying back

So a few years ago I started 6 willows from cuttings and they started growing right away like the dickens, no problem. But every spring some of them (or some of parts of the trees) will die back and have to come back from the base or have some of their dead branches cut off.The dead branches are rather strange as in the bark on them gets black and shrivelled. So now every one of them is a clump tree which is fine but they keep dying back every year and it is stunting their progress as some have to start all over again. I know it's not the variety of willow as in they are in the wrong zone because the cuttings were from a tree that must be 15 or so years old and full grown.Can a willow drown if it is submerged in too much water for too long? Can a cutting be inferior to trees started from seed? Just wondering. Thanks for any thoughts.

My first guess is that you have a nematode problem in the deep south. Are you in Texas?

Burl Smith wrote:My first guess is that you have a nematode problem in the deep south. Are you in Texas?

No,Illinois.But I looked up nematodes and there does seem to be a nematodes problem among soybean and corn farmers here:(. We are certainly surrounded by tons of corn feild. They are also easily transported by water run off so we likely get everyone's neomotodes:).  Do  you happen to know of any natural treatments for them if they happen to be at the "root" of the problem.

Thelmas Garden wrote:Can a willow drown if it is submerged in too much water for too long?

They like really wet soil, but if it's standing water all around them for an extended period of time, it could make them more susceptible to diseases or eventually kill them.

Can a cutting be inferior to trees started from seed? Just wondering. Thanks for any thoughts.

A lot of nursery sold plants are grown from cuttings, so there shouldn't really be any issues there.

If you've got pictures of the black shriveled sections and the area where it is planted that can help with the diagnosis.

Thelmas Garden wrote:

Burl Smith wrote:My first guess is that you have a nematode problem in the deep south. Are you in Texas?

No,Illinois.But I looked up nematodes and there does seem to be a nematodes problem among soybean and corn farmers here:(. We are certainly surrounded by tons of corn feild. They are also easily transported by water run off so we likely get everyone's neomotodes:).  Do  you happen to know of any natural treatments for them if they happen to be at the "root" of the problem.

I find it interesting that a search on nematodes brings up tons of articles on the benefits of nematodes. People are actually buying them and introducing them to the soil as a natural pest control. When you think of it ,all these so called "pests" have been around forever and are meant to be here, it's just that our trees' and plants' health and "immunity" have been compromised by years upon too many years of endless rounds of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides,  and fertilizers weakening them and making them susceptible to everything. I guess the cure is getting the neighbors to go organic.

Thelmas Garden wrote:

Burl Smith wrote:My first guess is that you have a nematode problem in the deep south. Are you in Texas?

No,Illinois.But I looked up nematodes and there does seem to be a nematodes problem among soybean and corn farmers here:(. We are certainly surrounded by tons of corn feild. They are also easily transported by water run off so we likely get everyone's neomotodes:).  Do  you happen to know of any natural treatments for them if they happen to be at the "root" of the problem.

Hmm, I looked around and found willow listed as susceptible to Guava Root-Knot Nematode in the South, and happened upon This:



Willow Scab Disease "Scab on willow trees usually doesn’t cause serious harm unless the black canker fungus (Glomerella miyabeanais) is also present."

Sadly Black Canker Disease is apparently incurable.

Examining the photos may give you a better idea of what condition your willows are suffering from.

Wiki suggests Marigolds as a cure if it is a nematode problem.

Burl Smith wrote:

Thelmas Garden wrote:

Burl Smith wrote:My first guess is that you have a nematode problem in the deep south. Are you in Texas?

No,Illinois.But I looked up nematodes and there does seem to be a nematodes problem among soybean and corn farmers here:(. We are certainly surrounded by tons of corn feild. They are also easily transported by water run off so we likely get everyone's neomotodes:).  Do  you happen to know of any natural treatments for them if they happen to be at the "root" of the problem.

Hmm, I looked around and found willow listed as susceptible to Guava Root-Knot Nematode in the South, and happened upon This:



Willow Scab Disease "Scab on willow trees usually doesn’t cause serious harm unless the black canker fungus (Glomerella miyabeanais) is also present."

Sadly Black Canker Disease is apparently incurable.

Examining the photos may give you a better idea of what condition your willows are suffering from.

Wiki suggests Marigolds as a cure if it is a nematode problem.

I think I might have some marigold seeds around from last year I can start. Thanks!

Hopefully the nematicide  properties of African Marigolds will work on my sofa fleas this summer!