Willows are part of the many species of deciduous shrubs of the genus salix. They are among the few easy to propagate plants that anyone can wish to add to their landscape. Willows are known to be among the fastest-growing and flexible shrubs that have been used since ancient times for art, craft, and construction.
Some willow species have ornamental stems, which blend well with your garden flowers to give your home a unique beauty taste. Since willows propagate so fast and easily, they can be grown just from simple cuttings. This article will cover how to grow willow from cuttings and how to care for the willows.
How to grow willow from cuttings
There are two ways in which you can plant willows from cuttings. First, you can grow them in water pots and transfer them to the soil after producing roots. The other method is where you plant the cuttings directly in the soil.
Steps for Growing in water
Follow these steps if you opt to propagate willow cuttings in water.
1. Get cuttings
You can buy willow cuttings from a store or from neighbors and friends who have existing willows. You may also harvest willow shoots from a mature plant in spring. This does not mean the existing willow will die after harvesting; it will get vigorous and start to produce more shots.
2. Place the cuttings in a bucket of water
Willows grow well when they have an adequate water supply. When put in a water container, they will get eager and propagate vigorously. The willow shoots that rise produce roots very fast.
3. Change the bucket of water regularly
It is good to change the pot water regularly to ensure that the willow roots are getting an adequate oxygen supply. Stagnant water may make the roots drown and die back since there is no adequate water supply. Most preferably, change the water for at least after one week.
4. Allow the roots to develop
After noticing that roots have started forming, give them some more time to develop before transplanting them into readily prepared soil.
5. Transplant to the ground
Once the roots get long enough, dig v-like holes about 10 inches deep in the ground. Carefully insert the willows in the hole to ensure you don’t interfere with the structure of the roots while spacing the willow strands 1½ feet apart.
Fill the holes with sand after planting to support the light stems. If you wish to plant willows in a line, you can also dig a v-shaped trench and carefully plant the willow stalks.
6. Water regularly
Watering helps prevent the willows from drying out, especially when the weather is too hot and dry.
You can transplant the willows to the right location in autumn after developing into saplings and dropping their leaves.
If you have picked the right planting site, the willows will develop and serve you with all the purposes you had initially planted for once they mature.
Planting willow cuttings directly into the soil
This is an alternative method of propagating willows from cuttings. If you find the other process of starting from water pots lengthy, you can plant it directly in the soil.
Take cuttings and plant them in autumn or spring. If you opt for this alternative, you need to thoroughly work on the soil to ensure it is soft and drained. Your planting spot should be sunny, with soils that can hold enough water because willows cannot do well in dry and shady places.
To plant willow cuttings directly into the soil, follow these few steps,
Push a metal rod with a diameter almost the same as that of the cutting and a length of more than 10 inches since you need to make a 10-inch deep hole and still be able to hold the metal rod and pull it out.
Push cuttings to the holes you have made but ensure you leave at least 3 buds of the cuttings above the ground.
Allow them to develop roots and mature into the large bushy willows you want.
This alternative method of propagating willows is simple but not the best since you are unsure if all the planted cuttings will develop roots and grow to mature willows. The main advantage of putting the dry cutting in water is to ensure they develop roots easily, and you will only transplant to the ground those few stalks that have roots and dump those that don’t develop roots.
How to grow willow from cuttings: Conclusion
Willows are a great shrub to plant, considering their vast range of uses and easy to plant and maintain. Once you plant willows in a sunny spot with well-drained but wet soils, they will easily grow to medium-sized shrubs.
Hopefully, this article will help you effectively propagate willows from cuttings.
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