[laurelrus]

I picked up a load of willow branches from a very nice lady who responded to my request on Freegle as I'd heard that my pygmy goats would like them and they do!
She mentioned that I could grow my own willow trees by rooting some of the branches.
I don't know how to do this - if anyone can tell me I would be really happy as it was a lovely twisty willow tree and then the goats would have their own supply.
Thanks!

[Backinwellies]

In my experience just stick them in the ground! (wet ground of course)

[Fleecewife]

If it's a Contorted Willow then it could be a bit more difficult to root.  It's best to take your cuttings from this year's growth, but in fact a branch stuck in anywhere will probably grow, as long as you protect it from nibblers - grazing animals and voles are the worst.   For really quick growth for your goats, well, there's Goat Willow and several other forms which grow more quickly than the contorted one. 

[laurelrus]

Thanks Fleecewife, I had no idea there was Goat Willow! I'll try and grow from the branches I was given and also see about getting some other types to grow!

[doganjo]

Just cut lengths of about a  foot with a bud at the top, take off all leaves, shape the bottom into an angle so they're easy to push in, stick in the  ground and water well. You can plant them close together and weed out or space them well out. Either way protect from animals for the first fee weeks.

If anyone wants any let me know and I'll post out for the price of the postage.

[suziequeue]

Some willows you don't even need to stick in the ground - they just root from twigs lying on the ground….. amazing!!

[ellied]

Doganjo bring me a few when you are next over please?  I'll provide lunch..  Twisty would be nice but I'm looking for plain green as I have some yellow and goat willow from previous donations

[doganjo]

Yes, Ellie I remembered you wanted some.  How many? Will be over week after next.

[devonlady]

If the ground is dry put your cuttings in a bucket of water, they'll soon develop roots.

[sabrina]

The are so easy to grow if you have a wet area. We planted well over 100 twigs about 8 years ago and now have our own little willow forest. Every now and again I prune them back to stop them taking over.

[cloddopper]

My friend Rob has bunged in hundreds & hundreds of one foot long semi hard wood basket ( Osier willow) cuttings over the last couple of years right next to his many metres of stock fencing , the fenced in goats have been keeping it well trimmed .

 You can shove the cutting in anyway up for the willow is remarkable , it has the chemical that promotes root growth in abundance . POPLAR also has this trait .

 You can also make your own cheap rooting mix by chopping fresh willow cut just at the change from this year to last years growth boil a big hand full in a pint of water simmer it for 10 min or so to extract the chemical and then once it's gone cold strain the liquid off and use it to soak all those difficult to root cuttings you want to make

[Fleecewife]

That's really interesting cloddopper, I shall certainly give it a go 

[cloddopper]

whoops , I forgot to add the cutting were set on the outside of the fences about a foot away so the goats don't get to eat everything .