Willow is one of the most forgiving trees you can plant. Push a healthy cutting into damp ground in winter and there's a fair chance it will root and grow away. That eagerness is exactly why it pays to slow down for ten minutes and plan. A willow in the right spot is a fast, generous tree; a willow over a drain, or one that dries out in its first July, is a problem you'll be managing for years. Work through this checklist in order and you'll cover the things that actually matter.
Before You Plant: Site Checks
Do these before you buy anything, because it is far easier to change your mind about a position now than to move a two-metre tree next autumn.
- Light. Most willows want full sun, which in a UK garden means roughly six hours a day in summer. They will grow in light shade, but the coloured-stem varieties in particular lose their vivid winter colour.
- Moisture. Willow likes damp ground: a low corner, a pond margin, soil that stays cool well into June. Dry, sandy sites are not a dealbreaker, but plan on watering for two full summers rather than one.
- Space. Check the mature height rather than the size of the plant in the pot. The larger species and hybrids can comfortably pass ten metres with a broad, spreading crown, while dwarf and compact cultivars stay shrubby. Give a big willow a big gap, or choose a small one deliberately.
- Services and structures. Willow roots are thirsty and exploratory. Keep well clear of drains, sewer pipes, soakaways, septic tanks, foundations and boundary walls. Where room is tight, plant a dwarf cultivar or grow willow in a large container.
- Wind and overhead lines. Willow wood is brittle and snaps in gales. Avoid any spot where a mature branch would hang over a path, road, greenhouse or cable.
- Watercourses. If your chosen spot borders a ditch, stream or river, check with the Environment Agency or your local authority before planting, as some locations need consent.
What You'll Need
- A spade and a garden fork
- A watering can or hose
- Well-rotted manure or garden compost
- Mulch: bark chippings or compost
- A sturdy stake and a flexible tree tie, if the site is exposed
- A tree guard if rabbits, deer or hares visit
- Secateurs and a pair of gloves
A bucket for soaking bare-root trees is useful too, and it costs nothing to fill.
Preparing the Ground
Clear a circle at least a metre across of grass, weeds and old roots. Grass competes hard for water and nutrients, and a willow planted into a tidy lawn often grows half as fast as one planted into clean soil. Fork over the base of the hole to break up compaction, then dig in a few handfuls of compost. Willow copes with heavy clay, but it establishes much faster in improved ground. If you are planting a row, a hedge or a living fedge, prepare a continuous strip and mark the line with string. Aim to plant while the tree is dormant, from late autumn to early spring, and never into frozen or waterlogged soil.
Planting, Step by Step
Potted and bare-root willows
- Soak a bare-root tree in a bucket for an hour, or water the pot thoroughly until the rootball is saturated.
- Dig a hole at least twice as wide as the rootball and no deeper than the roots actually need.
- Fork the bottom of the hole and add a spadeful of compost.
- Set the tree in place so the base of the stem sits at the same level it was growing before. Spread the roots out if they are bare.
- Backfill in layers, firming each one gently with your heel. Do not bury the stem or the graft point.
- Water with a full can, even if rain is forecast. This settles the soil around the roots.
- Mulch 5–7cm deep, leaving a small gap around the trunk so it does not rot.
- Stake only if the site is windy or the tree is tall, using a flexible tie in a figure of eight so the trunk can still move.
Cuttings and setts
- Take hardwood cuttings from healthy, current-season growth in late autumn or winter, 20–30cm long.
- Push each one into prepared soil so two or three buds sit above the surface. The right way up matters: buds point upwards.
- Firm the soil around it and water well.
- Mark the spot with a cane. A bare cutting looks exactly like a stick, and it is easy to stand on.
Aftercare in the First Year
Watering decides success. Give a new willow a thorough soak once a week through its first spring and summer, and twice a week in hot, dry spells. Little and often is worse than one deep soak, because it encourages shallow roots. Keep a metre around the trunk clear of grass and weeds, and top up the mulch in spring.
Check ties and stakes every few months, loosening them as the trunk thickens; a tie left tight will strangle the tree. Aphids and willow leaf beetle are common but rarely fatal, and a healthy tree grows through the damage. Leave pruning alone for the first year beyond removing broken or crossing shoots. From the second winter onwards, coppice coloured-stem willows every one to three years, cutting back hard in late winter to keep the young, bright growth coming.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Planting too deep, so the stem sits below soil level and rots.
- Choosing a position on the strength of a plant's current size rather than its eventual spread.
- Skipping the water-in, then assuming rain will do the job.
- Letting grass and weeds crowd the trunk through the first two summers.
- Planting in midsummer, when the tree has no chance to settle before drought.
- Placing a willow near drains, soakaways or foundations where roots will cause trouble.
Your First Year at a Glance
Plant between late autumn and early spring. Water weekly through the first growing season. Top up mulch in spring and again in early summer. Clear weeds as they appear. Check the tie in autumn and loosen it if it is pinching. Remove any broken branches after winter storms, and from the following dormant season begin a proper coppicing or pruning routine. Get those few things right and the willow will do the rest, usually faster than you expect.
Photo: Goumbik / Pixabay
