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Growing willows is incredibly easy to do. In fact, they are some of the least stressful species you will ever grow. They serve many purposes around the farm and are as attractive as they are useful.
Are you ready to jump in and grow some of your own this year? So read on!
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Benefits of growing willows
Not only are Salix absolutely gorgeous species, but they also provide several benefits around the farm.
The first is that because they grow very quickly – up to 10 feet per year, depending on the species – you’ll have some lovely shady spots to enjoy under their branches before you can blink.
Second, willow is one of nature’s most versatile building materials. For example, you can use the whips, or slender branches, to weave baskets and fish traps. In contrast, harvest the longer, thicker branches for acacia fences.
Third, their sprawling roots help fight erosion. If there are areas on your land that are threatened by wind or snow erosion, plant willows.
Just be sure not to plant them near your home’s foundation or septic tank. Their roots are known to pierce such things in search of water sources.
Finally, there is willow medicine. Besides offering a plethora of branches to weave, willows have another wonderful use.
They are an abundant source of natural aspirin. The salicin contained in their bark/cambium is a natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory. Therefore, as long as you have willow trees on your property, you will have nature’s painkiller at your fingertips.
How to Propagate Willows
These trees grow best from cuttings and can be planted in spring or fall.
Find a willow species you like and use clean shears to cut off some young branches. Aim for ones that are about as thick as your little finger and have multiple leaf nodes along their length.
Put them in a bucket of clean water and let them root. This may take a few weeks, so be sure to change the water regularly. Otherwise, it may stagnate and the roots may die before forming properly.
As soon as these cute little roots are about an inch long, they’re ready to plant. Be sure to cure them before sticking them in direct sunlight.
Here’s something special about this species: willows contain indolebutyric acid (IBA), which is a primary hormone used in commercial rooting formulas. This is why you can use willow infused water as a rooting medium!
As you can imagine, planting new willow cuttings is incredibly easy. You don’t need to use honey or any other rooting medium: they come with their own!
Alternatively, if you don’t want to grow your willows from cuttings, or none are available, there are other options. Look for bare-rooted trees that are between one and three years old.
Dig holes two to three times the size of the root propagation and place the roots in them. Fill with a mix of well-aged compost and topsoil, and tamp down well. Water well and maintain regular humidity levels to encourage new root growth.
Prime! You can use the water your willow cuttings have been soaked in to help root other plants. So don’t throw it away.
Soil and sun requirements
Willow is known for its ability to grow in most soil types, provided it is moist enough, but also well-drained. We have very rich clay soil on our land (which is not conducive to most tree growth), but it contains enough sand for our willow trees to thrive.
You’ve probably noticed that willow grows well along riverbanks and lakes. This zone grants willows two things they need most: sunshine and plenty of water.
If you have waterfront property, consider growing willows about 10 feet from the water’s edge. This will give them plenty of room to grow, with plenty of access to nearby groundwater.
Be sure to plant it in an area that is close to water, but won’t be easily flooded. Willow is a riparian (river) species; not one that thrives in the swamps.
Don’t have waterfront property? Unless you live in a humid region, you will need to provide irrigation. Don’t skimp on it! Willows can send their roots far enough to find water and they don’t mind if the water comes from your sewer system.
Since the willow needs at least six hours of sun a day, plant yours in an open, sunny location. That said, they will tolerate partial shade, especially in the hottest locations.
Note that how you plant your cuttings will depend on what you are growing willows for. If you are growing them for building or craft materials, plant the cuttings a few inches apart. You’ll cut off young shoots when they’re still quite young, coppicing them for future use.
Likewise, if you are growing willow for fencing, plant them about 6 inches apart. You can weave the young shoots together as they grow to create a living fence.
Finally, if you are growing these trees for landscaping purposes, plant saplings (or established cuttings) about 20 feet apart. This will leave them plenty of room to stretch out as they grow.
Watering and feeding
As mentioned, willows are heavy drinkers. Therefore, you will have to regularly offer them deep drinks if you have not planted them near a water point. They don’t like their soil to dry out, so be sure to check it several times a week. If it seems dry up to your second knuckle, give it a solid soak.
They also benefit a lot from regular feeding. Be sure to work plenty of well-aged compost into the soil before planting them to give them the best possible start. Then work in a slow-release fertilizer each spring. Aim for an equal NPK ratio of 10:10:10.
If you don’t want to use granulated fertilizer, you can also offer them compost tea every week or every two weeks. Drill a few holes in the ground starting a foot from the trunk, about 6 inches deep. Then lightly water the area, give the roots the compost tea bath and lightly water again. This should disperse the nutrients well throughout the root system.
Pests, diseases and potential problems
When growing willows, you will need to protect them from hungry herbivores for the first few years. Deer, rabbits, elk, and other plant-loving species like to gnaw on young willow trees. Tape the trunks or wrap them in burlap to create a protective barrier so they don’t get chewed on.
Prevent grass and other weeds from thriving at the base of your willows for the first three to five years. You can do this by raking them or installing a mulch barrier. We just use undyed cardboard for ours, but use whichever method you prefer.
As for pests, spongy (formerly gypsy) moths (Lymantria dispar) are the bane of willows’ existence. The larvae of these butterflies wreak havoc on willow trees by gnawing their way through the leaves. If you see egg masses, scrape them off and discard them.
You should also encourage or purchase beneficial insects, birds and mice, which eat moths and larvae. You can also spray with a product that contains Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki.
Webworms and willow sheet beetles also feed on these trees voraciously.
You can control beetles by shaking them off and/or spraying your trees with neem and dish soap. Webworms can usually be ignored or you can sweep the webs of the tree with a broom.
Drillers can also damage trees, as they burrow into the branches and trunk. A borer infestation can seriously damage your tree, although it is unlikely to kill it. You will need strong pesticides to control the borers, possibly with the help of an arborist if your tree is over 15 feet tall.
Keep your trees well fertilized and fed to keep them healthy. This will be their best defense against predators and pests.
Harvest for use
As mentioned earlier, willow has several different uses and you can harvest it the same way for all of them. You will use the same technique whether you are cutting young branches or whips for basket weaving or medicine.
Use sterilized, sharp garden shears to cut as much as needed, taking care not to cut more than 30% of the branches. If you take more, you can damage or even kill your trees.
You can harvest the young shoots from the copses every spring. Use young, thin branches for baskets and older, thicker branches for acacia and other fences.
Since you’ll only be harvesting the aforementioned 30% of branches from each coppice area, you’ll have plenty of first-, second-, and third-year branches to work with each year.
If you are harvesting willow for medicine, try to collect twigs and young branches in the spring. These are powerful and easy to collect.
That said, if you have burning headaches or aching joints in the fall, you can still get medicine from this plant. Cut off one of the branches and use a potato peeler to peel off the bark. Then use it as a decoction as needed.
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