I need willow twigs!

[Potsofgreen]

Looking to make some willow tea to aid in transplanting and collecting of a juniper (long shot I know, weird untested theory I know, I just want to experiment and see if it aids in helping new roots establish).

Problem is I cant find any willows near me! anyone willing to do me a solid and fill a large flat rate box with this years growth of willow twigs and send me it? Ill pay for shipping of course and a collection fee if needed. Thanks in advance

 

[Carol 83]

Weeping willow?

 

[Potsofgreen]

Yes weeping will work great

 

[Potsofgreen]

I just need leaf less twigs that are greenish or brown but no barked up gray ones, look up “willow tea” for rooting it’s a natural rooting hormone

 

[Soldano666]

I'll be testing this theory on some airlayers next year. I can get crabapple to root in about 3-3.5 months with just spagnum and tap water, I can usually separate them by Sept. I often wait til leaf drop to use as much energy from the mother plant as I can before separation. This coming spring I will soak the spagmun with Willow water and see if I get rootage faster and more of it. Harry Harrington has a write up about this and says he develops roots faster.

 

[Soldano666]

If I can find some I'll send em your way. I plan on harvesting mine late winter. I know of a few trees on a buddies property I have access to

 

[Potsofgreen]

Awesome I’m glad people are trying this out! I’m going to try it on collecting yamadori

 

[Potsofgreen]

Very cool thank you for the offer, I can’t seem to find any out here in so cal and I’ve been looking everywhere! ?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Fun idea and it sounds like a fun experiment. But why spend money on twigs and shipping when you can get auxins for relatively low prices?
I paid around 20 usd for 15 grams of IBA-K. That's enough to make roughly a gallon of full strength rooting gel.

 

[Bonsaicarpenter]

I have used willow tea to root lavender and rosemary cuttings with a 100% success rate. I have read that it is salicylic acid in willow that promotes rooting. Aloe Vera tea works as well. It contains the same chemical.

 

[Potsofgreen]

Fun idea and it sounds like a fun experiment. But why spend money on twigs and shipping when you can get auxins for relatively low prices?
I paid around 20 usd for 15 grams of IBA-K. That's enough to make roughly a gallon of full strength rooting gel.

Well for 1 I like to do things the hard way ?....and it will be natural IBA that is produced not synthetic, but also as @Bonsaicarpenter pointed the tea will also contain Salicylic acid which will aid in root development by keeping unwanted microorganisms away and protect the cuttings, plus with a full large flat rate box that ships for 19$ I can make multiple 5 gallon batches of tea ? pretty cost effective

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

It will be the naturally occurring IAA auxin and it will break down in around 16-40 minutes in a watery solution according to literature. IBA can be synthesized by plants, but it's usually 4 to 40 times less than the naturally occurring IAA which has a shelf life of a few hours outside of a plant.
The salicylic acid is not very soluble, which makes me question the amount of effect you can expect.

I have seen tremendous results with willows, but upon repeating the same experiments without the willow extracts, we found that it was just the easy rooting ability of the cuttings that was the root of the cause. 100% in both cases.

That being said, I'm still eager to hear the results!

 

[Potsofgreen]

Very true....I'm eager to see the results as well. For me my rooting compound consist of cinnamon and honey and I see a 90 - 100% success rate on hardwood and softwood cuttings, with no heat mat and just a humidity dome to keep humid. But I will definitely record how the willow water effects the success/failure rate of yamadori,

I will take multiple specimens and do the exact same steps with each except use willow tea for one and regular water for the other, will be exciting to see what happens!

 

[Carol 83]

I have a weeping willow. We used to have 3. Lost one in an ice storm and the neighbor's tree took out the other one, during another storm. I can send you some.

 

[Potsofgreen]

I have a weeping willow. We used to have 3. Lost one in an ice storm and the neighbor's tree took out the other one, during another storm. I can send you some.

I definitely would buy some off of you if your willing? Sending you a pm

 

[M. Frary]

They have weeping willows on most golf courses.
Also some people use rooting hormones for layers.
Not root recovery after collection.
The best remedy for that is the proper aftercare.

 

[Potsofgreen]

They have weeping willows on most golf courses.
Also some people use rooting hormones for layers.
Not root recovery after collection.
The best remedy for that is the proper aftercare.

Hmm there’s a golf course right behind my house I should look there, I know people don’t use it that’s why it’s an experiment, my hypothesis is that it might stimulate feeder roots to grow thus speeding up the bounce back after transplant...won’t know until it’s tried ?

 

[AlainK]

I suppose you've read this:

http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATwillow water.html

I tried willow water myself in my garage, in late winter, before budbreak, and in spring too. All the branches produced roots, and after about 2 weeks, there was this feeling of having some gel between your fingers after dipping them into the water in the bucket.

I think it also works with bigger cuts, but I don't have enough experience with using it to give you good advice: last time was years ago and I didn't keep track of which cuttings/airlayerings I made with this technique.

 

[Potsofgreen]

I suppose you've read this:

http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATwillow water.html

I tried willow water myself in my garage, in late winter, before budbreak, and in spring too. All the branches produced roots, and after about 2 weeks, there was this feeling of having some gel between your fingers after dipping them into the water in the bucket.

I think it also works with bigger cuts, but I don't have enough experience with using it to give you good advice: last time was years ago and I didn't keep track of which cuttings/airlayerings I made with this technique.

Have not read that but that is good news! makes me want willow cuttings even more now!

 

[atlarsenal]

Have not read that but that is good news! makes me want willow cuttings even more now!

Let us know of your results!