Home grown willow cuttings - help

[j-bird]

I have a PM into John for his guidance, but I thought I would ask here as well. I have an area that is fairly wet that I need to get some quick growth on (I found I have a neighboring hunter watching this area based on his tripod stand location). I have black willow on my place currently and would really like to make cuttings off of the ones I have and places these to help bolster cover on the property line. I am not familiar with cuttings and I am not going to be able to do much to baby these either as I will not be able to get equipment into this area. If I can't carry it by hand - it isn't making it.

The willow I have grow in a large cluster/shrub orientation so I have some that are as big around as your wrist and 15 or 20 feet tall. Do I want the past years growth, or do I want the larger diameter stuff? I'm figuring on 24" lengths.

Do I still need to use rooting hormone?

How do I know which parts to use as cutting and when should I do this? The trees are still dormant here, but they won't be for long.

 

[wiscwhip]

Pencil size diameter on up to about 3/8" diameter cuttings from 1 or at most 2 year old growth are best. I would be looking at getting some type of conifer in there as well, a couple hundred black spruce plugs on the highest spots would help very much to screen the area from prying eyes. You might want to try tamarack or balsam fir in the areas that are a bit wetter than the spruce locations.

Willows make their own rooting hormone, that is why they do so well as cuttings. I think you could possibly get away with larger cuttings(truncheons) as well, maybe 1" to 1-1/2" diameter, but I have never tried it myself.

Go to the Big Rock Trees website and click on "Information" John explains all of the details there.

 

[wiscwhip]

Keep in mind that the willows nearest the property line can be coppiced as well. This will promote a multi-stemmed sprouting of branches right around the base of the cut stump. Your neighbor will be like, "Hahahaha look what that silly j-bird did, cut those willows so I could see into his place even better!", then when those coppiced sprouts take off 4 times as thick as they were the year before he will be all like...:eek:" Now I can't see a d*mn thing in there!" :(:(:( And j-bird will be all...:D:D:D! Google coppicing willow if you are unclear on the process.

 

[j-bird]

Pencil size diameter on up to about 3/8" diameter cuttings from 1 or at most 2 year old growth are best. I would be looking at getting some type of conifer in there as well, a couple hundred black spruce plugs on the highest spots would help very much to screen the area from prying eyes. You might want to try tamarack or balsam fir in the areas that are a bit wetter than the spruce locations.

Willows make their own rooting hormone, that is why they do so well as cuttings. I think you could possibly get away with larger cuttings(truncheons) as well, maybe 1" to 1-1/2" diameter, but I have never tried it myself.

Go to the Big Rock Trees website and click on "Information" John explains all of the details there.

Do you think spruce, tamarack & fir will handle 6a growing conditions? We don't have those naturally in my area or at least not in any sort of quantities.

 

[j-bird]

Keep in mind that the willows nearest the property line can be coppiced as well. This will promote a multi-stemmed sprouting of branches right around the base of the cut stump. Your neighbor will be like, "Hahahaha look what that silly j-bird did, cut those willows so I could see into his place even better!", then when those coppiced sprouts take off 4 times as thick as they were the year before he will be all like...:eek:" Now I can't see a d*mn thing in there!" :(:(:( And j-bird will be all...:D:D:D! Google coppicing willow if you are unclear on the process.

That is pretty much what the ones I have do as is. They come out of the ground in a huge cluster of stems - the cluster is bigger than a basketball and the stems some as big around as your wrist or larger. When I cut them back it just seems to piss them off! that was why I wanted to use these I have as I knew I could really thicken them up once they got established. Once they have the roots set I have cut them to the ground before and have them in excess of 10' in 2 years time. I'll look in to the conifers as well. There is a nice drainage ditch that essentially runs the property line that will "fuel" my willows and why I thought they would be an awesome choice. I'll cut everything I have into 24" lengths and sink as many as I can and see what I get. Sounds like I'm going to be busy this weekend!

 

[wiscwhip]

Tamarack and balsam fir are considered native to northern IN and black spruce are considered native to northern IL on some plant range maps, so I'm guessing you would be OK with all 3 if they are kept moist and not allowed to dry out in the summer heat. You aren't that much farther south than the range maps show them as native ranges.

 

[sandbur]

I would plant the balsam fir in a cooler location if you decide to try them. Try a north slope or north side of a willow clump to shade them.

 

[wiscwhip]

By the way, I didn't mean to discourage you from using rooting hormone, it can't hurt anything, and might be good insurance. I was just pointing out that willows will grow without it, as they produce their own. I would also try to plant a bunch of the larger cuttings as well, just to see if they take off, you aren't out anything except the time it takes to jab them into the ground. If you have fairly wet ground as it is, who knows what will take off in that area. Keep in mind that there are other brushy shrubs native to that area that do quite well in those moist locations. Some even keep their leaves all year, such as leather leaf and mountain laurel.

 

[sandbur]

I'd be more inclined to try Fraser or balsam/Fraser hybrids that far south

To tell the truth, I would not even try straight balsam fir if you get any hot winds.

 

[wiscwhip]

To tell the truth, I would not even try straight balsam fir if you get any hot winds.

You have a great point sandbur, maybe that is why they only show those trees in the top couple tiers of counties south of Lake Michigan. The areas affected by the winds coming down the lake from the north would likely be consistently cooler than those in central and southern Indiana.

 

[j-bird]

I will stick with spruce, cedar or pines. I was looking at itasca plugs and that looks like an interesting way to plant a bunch in a hurry!

 

[j-bird]

Here is what I saw - while standing on the property line! I was not happy! Its a tripod stand with a skit on it - like I said 100 to 150 yards from the property line. Not sure how big of an issue it's going to be, but it now forces my hand regarding screening my sanctuary area and it just wasn't on my list for this year. For those that avoid certain areas of your property - this is one reason why I venture into ALL areas at least once a year - new information can be critical!

 

[j-bird]

Yup, in a big hurry. I'll never plant another bareroot evergreen now that I've planted plugs

Stu - how does that work with plugs? They charge you for the plugs as well as the container and shipping - and there is like a deposit on the containers? I also assume there is a plug planting tool to really speed things up as well. I'll do some looking for one of those as well. I may have just talked myself into an early birthday present.