Willow Cuttings "Basics"

Fresh Willow Cuttings from Little Twig Farm

All of our willow cuttings are 10 to 11 inches long and ready to plant. Each cutting features a pink end that marks the upright position for planting—this helps you see the cutting clearly and ensures it's planted correctly with the pink end facing up. Cuttings in larger quantity bundles will be different widths.  Nothing will be thinner than a pencil, but there will be various widths all the same length.  The cutting will root just as well regardless of thickness.  

Planting Instructions

Plant all cuttings immediately upon arrival, or place them in the refrigerator until you're ready to plant. When planting, leave the top one or two inches of the cutting above the soil. If your soil is compacted, use a rod or stake to puncture the soil first to make insertion easier. You want the cutting to push into the ground without bending. Your palm can get sore doing this, so add some padding to your hand as you work if you are planting a lot.  A soft rubber mallet can be a good tool along with a piece of rebar.  If planting into fabric, we like to make a knife cut vs a burn.  This helps keep weeds out the first year. Cutting or burning a larger hole in the subsequent years is pretty easy with monitoring in dormant season after harvesting. 

Spacing and Bed Layout

Space your cuttings in single rows or rows of three —creating 1 row then 3 feet walking area, OR 1 row 1 row 1 row followed by a 3 foot walking area with willows planted one foot apart within all rows. Dry areas should use single rows, while wet and rich soil areas can accommodate closer planting in the beginning. Keep in mind that more compact spacing will result in less branching in the early years for better weaving rods, but mature willow "stools" will eventually fill out with more rods each year. 

Care and Maintenance

Plant your cuttings in weed suppression fabric or a weed-free bed, and keep them well watered until established. Willow should be planted into soil with adequate moisture, so deeply soak the area the day before planting in dry weather conditions.  With proper care, your willow cuttings will develop into healthy, productive plants.