Threads 20: Spring at last, time to plant

Despite the gloom and doom of COVID-19, the sap is rising. The blue sky and brilliant sunshine mean it’s time to plan where to plant your willow cuttings.

Willow is one of the easiest plants to propagate by cuttings, and given the right conditions, one of the fastest growing trees/shrubs.For these two reasons, growing willow structures and fences have become quite popular in recent times.

Although you can use many different types of willow, it is much better to start with willows that have been specially developed to grow long first lead shoots, with no side branches. These are then ‘coppiced’ or cut back every year, to keep growing first year shoots.

A diagonal living willow fence makes a very attractive screen or shelter in a garden. My first fence was a disaster as I planted long 20” willow cuttings, and they did not succeed. Mainly I think because I couldn’t plant them until the ground had unfrozen and it was too late for them to get started and support the long shoot. My second attempt was much more successful. I grew the 12” cuttings in water before planting. They grew roots in the water and established themselves in the ground more easily.

To plant the fence

See diagram on this page. On the ground, mark out every 12 to 15  inches with a twig, and plant each cutting going in the direction in which it is going to have to grow, Then they can be in interwoven as they become taller. It was for this reason I tried to grow longer cuttings, so I could interweave them earlier.

An interwoven fence is a labour of love. Every little shoot has to be taken off each willow and the main stem only allowed to grow. Otherwise it turns into a great big mess! I kept mine for many years, I had unfortunately planted the fence in a very windy spot, and it was hard to ke it neat and vertical. It’s needed some strong high supports. I should have had much more success growing a living willow shelter and a chair with a willow back.

Of course, it is also an ideal time to plant a willow bed which will provide you with a supply of willow for many years. Willow cuttings are not allowed to be sent across the borders, but we are lucky here in Canada to be able to buy many varieties, including coloured willow. See below.

A quick story regarding basketry willow

Years ago I attended a basketry conference and met a maker from Ireland. He was living in the USA and unable to import willow. To overcome this problem, he visited Ireland in the spring and made a basket with fresh willow. He flew home carrying his basket, unwove it, planted it and provided many of us with a wonderful basketry willow cuttings. It was the source of our 700 cuttings for the millennium living willow labyrinths, as well as many many of my projects and my friends. I still do not know the name of the variety, but it is a wonderful basketry willow.

Source for willow cuttings in Canada: https://www.lakeshorewillows.com