As a passionate gardener, you probably know how proud it is to see plants you have grown yourself growing. Now imagine if you could say this about a meter-high tree. As a rule, huge deciduous trees often outlive humans and only reach their maximum growth in old age. The weeping willow, on the other hand, is ideal for growing yourself, as it grows to an impressive size after just a few years. Here you can find out how to grow the deciduous tree yourself.
How to grow a weeping willow from cuttings?
To grow a weeping willow yourself from cuttings, take young shoots from an existing willow. Let them form roots in a glass of water or plant them directly outdoors. Then water regularly and make sure there is enough space in the garden.
Preparation
Growing a weeping willow yourself from cuttings is, contrary to expectations, not a big challenge. Careful planning is actually half the battle. However, preparation plays an important role. After all, you must first consider whether your garden meets the necessary requirements for planting such a huge tree.
Plan carefully
If you later want to plant your weeping willow as a free-standing tree in your garden, there should be enough space. Plan at least 20 meters away from fences, buildings and other plants. Also keep in mind that the weeping willow spreads just as strongly underground in the open field. If you cannot meet these requirements, keeping containers or planting hedges is a worthwhile alternative.
Where are cuttings available?
The easiest way to grow the weeping willow is to use cuttings. Growing seeds is not recommended. Simply cut a few branches from an existing weeping willow. If you prefer the easy way, buy the young shoots online or at the nursery.
Note: For animal welfare reasons, a free-standing weeping willow may only be pruned from October to February.
Time
Depending on the date on which you should cut the cuttings, it is advisable to grow them in a glass of water over the winter and put them outdoors in the spring. This means that new shoots will occur immediately and the tree will have enough time to develop a stable root system before the next winter.
Instructions
Variant 1
- Take young shoots from a willow.
- Fill a container with water.
- After a few days the first roots will form.
- If they are large enough, plant the weeping willow outside.
Variant 2
- Take young shoots from a willow.
- Plant these outdoors immediately.
- Water the shoots sufficiently.
