Willow

The willow whips planted in March 2013 now have so much that they have their own canopy blocking out the light. I would estimate some are 20' tall with stems up to 3" in diameter. Salix smithiana has certainly done best in the very wet location they have been planted. I might consider coppicing them back completely in late winter, but will certainly take some hardwood cuttings and push them straight into the ground in another part of the garden.

biomass wllows

The willows planted in March last year settled in really well last season and put on a huge amount of growth this season, with more to come. The stems are tall, some up to four metres and the main stems are starting to swell a bit also. Salix cinera and Salix smithiana were the two varieties I planted initially and I would say at this point the smithiana is doing a bit better.

salix smithiana

salix smithiana

salix cinera

salix cinera

biomass

The willow cuttings taken in March have rooted well and I took a chance to pot up. Generally this is not recommended in August but it proved no problem for these guys.

Meanwhile the willows planted out as bare-rooted plants also in March are going well. Both varieties seem to have made comparable growth so far. They should make another bit of growth before the autumn and I'll think about rooting some of the stronger performer then.

sally garden

I made the first plantings in the willow garden. I planted Salix cinera and Salix smithiana. I intend putting in some cuttings also of Salix alba. This patch of garden is the wettest area of the entire garden so I've mounded them a little to get them out of the worst of the wet.  The rags are some fleece scraps tied on so that I don't strim the willows when I'm cutting the grass around them. I expect to pollard them at about 3-4 feet and have a harvest every 3-5 years.