Search...
Home Subscribe
Pie
Home Subscribe
Recent topics Flagged topics Hot topics Best topics
Search...
Search within propagation Search permies
Advance search Google search
Register / Login
Better Wood Heat DIY Rocket Mass Heater DVD Online appropriate technology course video Free heat movie WGD garden benefits of pie
  • Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
GMC website Better Wood Heat DIY Rocket Mass Heater DVD IC.org SKIP=SKills to Inherit Property PEP Permaculture Experience According to Paul Steampunk airship invention--show off your invention!
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • paul wheaton
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Leigh Tate
  • Devaka Cooray
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Jeremy VanGelder

Questions about propagating a willow tree cutting

 
Jonathan Ward
pollinator
Posts: 120
Location: Central Indiana
23
3
I like...
kids books homestead
posted 5 years ago
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Some background:

We have a large willow in the corner of the property that both my wife and i love.  This summer a large limb split and fell off of it.  The willow is old and probably nearing the end of it's life.  The day it fell i took some cuttings off of the broken limb.  I placed them in water.  Only one ended up putting on roots before it died.  I have pictures of the roots and new bud leaves it has started as well as the whole limb in container.

My question:

How long do i leave it in the water before i put it in soil of some type?
What type of soil do i put it in?
How wet do i keep said soil?

I know willows like it wet and i'm guessing it could probably survive in a pot for a few years (if the pot is big enough) before i need to put it in the ground somewhere.  Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
101_1061.JPG
New Roots
New Roots
101_1062.JPG
New Buds
New Buds
101_1063.JPG
Whole thing. You can see the older willow in the background (barely).
Whole thing. You can see the older willow in the background (barely).

“Once a wise man told me, ‘Family don’t end in blood,’ but it doesn’t start there either. Family cares about you. Not what you can do for them. Family is there, for the good, bad, all of it. They got your back. Even when it hurts. That’s family.”

 
Mike Haasl
steward
Posts: 15517
Location: Northern WI (zone 4)
4852
7
I like...
hunting trees books food preservation solar woodworking
posted 5 years ago
  • Likes 5
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I suspect you could leave it in water for another week (changing the water before it gets funky) and then pot it up or plant it.  But I'm hoping someone with more knowledge comes along to give you a more informed opinion.

On a side note, are you sure the willow is old?  My folks had a huge weeping willow overhanging their house so they paid a ton to have it cut down. It had 6 branches starting 6' off the ground and the diameter at the ground was over 4'.  They are on a very wet site so it was in ideal conditions.  The tree cutter thought the tree would be old and hollow inside.  Well, it was solid and only 32 years old.  Still probably good to not have hanging over the house but it was amazingly young for its size.

SKIP books, get 'em while they're hot!!! Skills to Inherit Property

 
Jonathan Ward
pollinator
Posts: 120
Location: Central Indiana
23
3
I like...
kids books homestead
posted 5 years ago
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
It was in place when the neighborhood was build 35yrs ago and was big then.  i was thinking about another week in the cup then on to a pot but wasn't sure.  I also assumed i'd need to keep the pot fairly wet since the roots were grown in water.

“Once a wise man told me, ‘Family don’t end in blood,’ but it doesn’t start there either. Family cares about you. Not what you can do for them. Family is there, for the good, bad, all of it. They got your back. Even when it hurts. That’s family.”

 
Ghislaine de Lessines
pollinator
Posts: 262
Location: Vermont, annual average precipitation is 39.87 Inches
50
posted 5 years ago
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Willow roots grown in water are pretty weak.  They will break off pretty easily when you try to get it in the ground.  For willow cutting planting expertise, I go here:  https://www.willowsvermont.com/planting-instructions.html   The good news is you can certainly take more cuttings from the tree to try again.  It won't hurt the tree as willows can be copiced annually when harvested for basketry and other uses.

Stoney Edge Project Thread

 
Jonathan Ward
pollinator
Posts: 120
Location: Central Indiana
23
3
I like...
kids books homestead
posted 5 years ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks so much for the info.  I'll do my best to be careful transplanting it.  If it fails i'll just grab a cutting and follow the directions in your link.  Thanks again .

“Once a wise man told me, ‘Family don’t end in blood,’ but it doesn’t start there either. Family cares about you. Not what you can do for them. Family is there, for the good, bad, all of it. They got your back. Even when it hurts. That’s family.”

 
Scott Foster
pollinator
Posts: 888
Location: 6a
284
I like...
hugelkultur dog forest garden trees cooking woodworking
posted 5 years ago
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I just stick mine in the ground without rooting.  I tried a batch of 70 some willow in a bucket and all of the roots came off when I planted (the plants did survive but I figure this is extra energy expended by the plant because it has to push roots a second time.)  Willows are super plants and will grow quite easily by just sticking

them in the ground.  When the moisture level is up you can even have willows root from cuttings in a pile.

Here is a shot of 20 basket weaving willows I planted last year just sticking them in the ground.  One suggestion I would make, willows do not like to compete with other plants when they start especially grass.   At least in my area deer love willow and will actually pull a plant up so protect them if you have deer pressure.

To plant the willows in the picture I put weed cover down, poked holes with a screwdriver, pushed the willows in and covered with wood chips.







IMG_9316.JPG
Various Basket willows planted from very small cuttings (last year).
Various Basket willows planted from very small cuttings (last year).
 
Anthony DiDonato
Posts: 24
posted 5 years ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
You just want to have it trimmed to even it up the largest i have ever seen were over 6'  in diameter at chest high they can live a very long time in the right location.
 
Bryant RedHawk
gardener
Posts: 6814
Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5
1647
I like...
hugelkultur dog forest garden duck fish fungi hunting books chicken writing homestead
posted 5 years ago
  • Likes 5
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Jonathan Ward wrote:It was in place when the neighborhood was build 35yrs ago and was big then.  i was thinking about another week in the cup then on to a pot but wasn't sure.  I also assumed i'd need to keep the pot fairly wet since the roots were grown in water.



If you have some sand or vermiculite, plant that whip now into a decent sized pot (6" or larger). The sand or vermiculite will help protect the fragile roots and it will also encourage them to harden up and become less brittle and also stronger and able to later on survive transplant into soil.

Redhawk

List of Bryant RedHawk's Epic Soil Series Threads We love visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin deep in the woods. "Buzzard's Roost (Asnikiye Heca) Farm." Promoting permaculture to save our planet.

 
Jonathan Ward
pollinator
Posts: 120
Location: Central Indiana
23
3
I like...
kids books homestead
posted 5 years ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Redhawk,  The cutting is probably about 15in long.  If i want to put it in a post and wait until next year to put it in the ground, about how big of a pot do i need?  I might have some sand sitting around somewhere that i can use when i pot it.  Thanks everyone for the great information.

“Once a wise man told me, ‘Family don’t end in blood,’ but it doesn’t start there either. Family cares about you. Not what you can do for them. Family is there, for the good, bad, all of it. They got your back. Even when it hurts. That’s family.”

 
Bryant RedHawk
gardener
Posts: 6814
Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5
1647
I like...
hugelkultur dog forest garden duck fish fungi hunting books chicken writing homestead
posted 5 years ago
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
A pot that is 6 inches in diameter up to a 10 inch pot would be a good size for a single years growth of the roots.
That way they are contained enough to form a good root ball for transplanting (will lift from the container easily with no crumbling off of the potting medium).
If you have any mycorrhizae do add some to the roots as you plant it up, that will almost guarantee good roots and viability of the whip (what a "stick tree" is called).

Good luck and good planting Jonathan

Redhawk

List of Bryant RedHawk's Epic Soil Series Threads We love visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin deep in the woods. "Buzzard's Roost (Asnikiye Heca) Farm." Promoting permaculture to save our planet.

 
Jonathan Ward
pollinator
Posts: 120
Location: Central Indiana
23
3
I like...
kids books homestead
posted 5 years ago
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Took everyone's advice.  It has been planted and mixed it with some sand to help fortify the roots.  I did trim a bit of the bottom of the stick off where there were no roots.  The full size stick was too tall for the pot.  the roots are about mid-pot so it should still have room for more roots on top and bottom.  If anything changes i'll toss an update but so far it looks great.  Thanks Everyone!
67706787_868259000226999_8493598376766472192_n.jpg
[Thumbnail for 67706787_868259000226999_8493598376766472192_n.jpg]
Now planted

“Once a wise man told me, ‘Family don’t end in blood,’ but it doesn’t start there either. Family cares about you. Not what you can do for them. Family is there, for the good, bad, all of it. They got your back. Even when it hurts. That’s family.”

 
Karl Treen
pollinator
Posts: 203
Location: Providence, RI, USA
108
3
I like...
forest garden trees urban
posted 4 years ago
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
    Send
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I bet you can find a way to gently add soil around the roots while not doing too much damage. This is just me riffing on the challenge with no true willow experience, but I've done a lot of rooting with other plants. Here's my brainstorm: what if you placed the whip into a paper cup with just enough water to cover the roots, then support it while you add damp sand (or soil) to the water, gradually displacing the water with the planting medium? Once there was enough mass to protect the roots, you could poke some holes in the paper cup and just plant the whole thing into the ground (or a larger pot). Just a thought!

Happy planting! :)

Check out the Food Forest Card Game: https://permies.com/wiki/141665/Food-Forest-card-game-English

 
I will open the floodgates of his own worst nightmare! All in a tiny ad:
Binge on 17 Seasons of Permaculture Design Monkeys!
http://permaculture-design-course.com
reply
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
Boost this thread!
Similar Threads
More...