Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Question on planting willow

Options
  • 01-11-2020 4:02pm
    #1
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭


    I've a damp area of a field and was thinking of planting willow in it. I think I was told a while back that you can plant willow by just taking slips off an existing willow bush and just stick them in the ground. Will they root this way and is this the time of the year to do this from slips if I heard it correctly.

    Thanks in advance.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    blue5000
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,666 Mod ✭✭✭✭blue5000


    If the soil is damp I reckon willow will take any time of year. Make an angled cut through the stem at a leaf stem junction. remove about 80% of the leaves from the rest of the stem, as leaves demand water. About a foot long is enough.

    The important bit is the cut at the end as this is where roots will form. I'm not an expert so others might have better methods, I'm just saying what has worked for me.

    If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.



  • Options
    #3
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    blue5000 wrote: »
    If the soil is damp I reckon willow will take any time of year. Make an angled cut through the stem at a leaf stem junction. remove about 80% of the leaves from the rest of the stem, as leaves demand water. About a foot long is enough.

    The important bit is the cut at the end as this is where roots will form. I'm not an expert so others might have better methods, I'm just saying what has worked for me.

    Thanks Blue if it's good enough for you I'll go with that so!


  • Options
    #4
    Large bottle small glass
    Registered Users Posts: 1,814 ✭✭✭Large bottle small glass


    If ground is wet stopping it from growing is the hard bit.

    I've seen forgotten blocks of wood left on ground sprout and same in a shed with small leak in roof


  • Options
    #5
    NcdJd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭NcdJd


    Large bottle small glass wrote: »
    If ground is wet stopping it from growing is the hard bit.

    I've seen forgotten blocks of wood left on ground sprout and same in a shed with small leak in roof

    So it's like elder, I broke a bit of a branch off so I could find a drain later in the year and was surprised to see it had taken root!


  • Options
    #6
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,907 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    I trimmed a large Sally back and cut the wood into foot long lengths, I forgot about them and when I found them strimming they had all sprouted and grown roots.
    Willow is incredibly vigorous but I would suggest using 60-80cm lengths of 15-25mmØ they are easier to see and plant by jamming them into the ground, thin cuttings can be a bit fragile.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,803 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    Scrape bark off the bottom of the willow cutting to encourage rooting


  • Options
    #8
    JJayoo
    Registered Users Posts: 6,561 ✭✭✭JJayoo


    Alder will.also grow in wet ground and is a nice native tree, you can get young ones pretty cheap


Advertisement