Hybrid Willows: What am I Doing Wrong?

[TreeDaddy]

Some of this years new cuttings before being planted. The dog is saying “don’t you have enough, already?”


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what a great lookin dog!

bill

 

[Tree Spud]

I soak mine in water also but usually for about 2 days.

Wow!!! Realy? How did you arrive at that length? Interested in understanding ... undertood you could over soak.

How about bareroot trees?

 

[Rit]

Wow!!! Realy? How did you arrive at that length? Interested in understanding ... undertood you could over soak.

How about bareroot trees?

Well the first time I did it was by mistake. I threw them in water and got busy and was two days before I got back to them. I noticed the buds were swelling and there wasn’t roots but you could tell they were doing something. This is the first year I have done hybrid willows. My first group did well so it became standard practice on the 2nd batch. It’s my understanding that you cannot overwater willow cuttings if you tried. This cutting above has been in water for about 6-7 days. It’s leafing and rooting. I soak all my cuttings now. There is another thread where someone said they soak ROD cuttings until they root and pot them but not sure who that was might have been ST.

When I plant bare root trees I get one bucket for each tree I plant and soak them while planting. So some of them are in water a couple of hours at most.

 

[Bill]

Hard to believe a willow won’t take by cutting. I’ve always put all but a bud or 2 under ground and never lost one.
I’ve even planted 24 inch whips. 23”’s in the ground an two buds above.
Try a few with more in the dirt.
Not saying it can’t be a soil issue but it’s odd that a willow won’t survive. Their kinda fool proof.

discounting maybe a bad batch

 

[finahol]

I also planted 25 austree hybrids a couple of years ago. Cuttings i received were disappointingly small but i figured what the heck,they are willows they will root no problem. Followed the included instructions like the op. Turned out to be a very dry summer and had zero survivors. If/when I try them again i think i will pot them into gallon pots for the summer and plant in the fall.

 

[Tree Spud]

Mine are tiny in diameter compared to those. Most were smaller than a pencil. Could that have been an issue as well
VV

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I am wondering if the cutting are that small in diameter, maybe there is not enough energy in them to support root development?

Did you pull any out to see what type of root development occured?

 

[Victor Van Meter]

Mine are tiny in diameter compared to those. Most were smaller than a pencil. Could that have been an issue as well
VV

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I am wondering if the cutting are that small in diameter, maybe there is not enough energy in them to support root development?

Did you pull any out to see what type of root development occured?

I pulled a couple a few days ago and they looked no different than when I put them in the ground, just looked like sticks. I will try to get some pics of them today and post.

VV


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[Duck Creek]

The Austree willows I've purchased had instructions to keep them in a bucket of water until they start rooting. When the roots are 1/4" it's time to plant them. I believe that takes a week to 10 days. I will say that once they start rooting they'll go from 1/4" to 1" in a matter of a day. When the're an inch or more they break off the cutting real easy, that's why you want to plant them as they are just starting to push there roots. I've had excellent results following those instructions. I've had good results planting them in standing water without pre soaking them but I've lost ones when its rained to the point of them being under water before they could grow above the standing water they were in.
They majority of the cuttings I've lost have been due to being girdled by rabbits/mice.
Although you also need to make sure you can keep sunlight reaching the cutting for the first year. After that it should have no problem growing faster than any of the surrounding vegetation.

 

[Tree Spud]

The Austree willows I've purchased had instructions to keep them in a bucket of water until they start rooting. When the roots are 1/4" it's time to plant them. I believe that takes a week to 10 days. I will say that once they start rooting they'll go from 1/4" to 1" in a matter of a day. When the're an inch or more they break off the cutting real easy, that's why you want to plant them as they are just starting to push there roots. I've had excellent results following those instructions. I've had good results planting them in standing water without pre soaking them but I've lost ones when its rained to the point of them being under water before they could grow above the standing water they were in.
They majority of the cuttings I've lost have been due to being girdled by rabbits/mice.
Although you also need to make sure you can keep sunlight reaching the cutting for the first year. After that it should have no problem growing faster than any of the surrounding vegetation.

Following the suppliers instructions is always a good starting place if you are having issues ...

 

[Bill]

I pulled a couple a few days ago and they looked no different than when I put them in the ground, just looked like sticks. I will try to get some pics of them today and post.

VV


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I bet they were dried out before you planted them.
I’ve never like the idea of letting them root in a bucket. Then I have to dig a hole and I don’t like shovels....

 

[Auger]

Just took this larger cutting today. Will soak for 2 days then stick in the ground. Sometimes they die back post dormancy but willows are tough. If they have soil moisture and are properly hydrated from time of cut to plant they will be just fine.

I will post updates on this feller! Cut it today at the cabin on the Mississippi

 

[Tree Spud]

Just took this larger cutting today. Will soak for 2 days then stick in the ground. Sometimes they die back post dormancy but willows are tough. If they have soil moisture and are properly hydrated from time of cut to plant they will be just fine.

So you cut a tree branch and put in a bucket of water? The OP has soil & moisture ... not exactly working as you describe for him ...

 

[H20fwler]

Just took this larger cutting today. Will soak for 2 days then stick in the ground. Sometimes they die back post dormancy but willows are tough. If they have soil moisture and are properly hydrated from time of cut to plant they will be just fine.

I will post updates on this feller! Cut it today at the cabin on the Mississippi

I would make about twenty cuttings out of that rascal!

 

[Rit]

I would make about twenty cuttings out of that rascal!

That reminds me of the young bull and old bull standing on a hill joke.

 

[Victor Van Meter]

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[Victor Van Meter]

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[Victor Van Meter]

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[Victor Van Meter]

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[Auger]

Vic- I have had some look like that. Not sure but I am guessing it has froze and or moisture issues.

H20 i have an unlimited supply of numerous willow species including hybrids. I am just trying some experimenting with timing and size. Planted into the edges of a marsh. The one thing that isn’t going to help this one out is we dipped to 24 degrees this morning!

 

[Victor Van Meter]

Vic- I have had some look like that. Not sure but I am guessing it has froze and or moisture issues.

H20 i have an unlimited supply of numerous willow species including hybrids. I am just trying some experimenting with timing and size. Planted into the edges of a marsh. The one thing that isn’t going to help this one out is we dipped to 24 degrees this morning!

Freezing may have been an issue, we have had some frosty mornings. Water shouldn’t be a problem, all it does in SE Ohio is rain.

Thanks for all the insight guys.

VV


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