Polk County Master Gardeners
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Willow Water
This is another tip from Carol Williamson, one of our Master Gardeners
here in Mena. She suggests that “willow water” will increase your chances of
success in rooting cuttings. I have not tried this one (no willows at my house,
worse luck), but Carol swears by it.
First cut a double handful of one-inch sections of branches from willows and
split each one. Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil (if you can catch rain
water, that is best). Dump in the willow pieces and leave them to steep
overnight. In the morning, the water should look like weak tea. Remove the
willow pieces from the water, and soak the bases of your cuttings in it for
several hours or overnight. If it has been more than an hour or so since you
made the cuttings, cut about half an inch from the ends before placing them in
the willow water.
You can also use the willow water for watering your newly stuck cuttings.
Carol says she knows all this sounds far out, but research at the Ohio
Agricultural Resources and Development Center has shown that willows (apparently
any species of Salix) contain substances that can induce rooting. And she has
about a 50 percent success rate with antique rose cuttings - better than I’ve
managed with commercial rooting powders! Carol also suggests putting your
cuttings directly into the soil in a shady flowerbed instead of in a pot. You
can move them to a full-sun location after they develop roots and begin new
growth, but they can’t tolerate the sun while they are working on that magic
change from stick to plant.
By Barbara M. Tobias
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