How to Plant Dwarf Willows

Examine your yard for a sunny place to plant the dwarf willow. Find an area that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight. Plant the dwarf willow early in the spring or mid- to late fall. Dwarf willows can grow in part sun or part shade, but the best color is produced when it is planted in full sun.

Dig holes that are three times as wide and three times as deep as the willow's container. Loosen the sides of the planting hole with the edge of your spade or shovel.

Fill the planting hole with water and allow it to drain away naturally into the soil. This provides moisture that goes deep into the ground.

Amend the soil that you removed from the hole with 3 to 4 inches of compost. Backfill the planting hole to about two-thirds full of amended soil.

Remove the dwarf willow from the container. Loosen the soil with your fingers that was against the sides and bottom of the pot. If roots are visible, gently tease them away from the sides of the root ball, otherwise they will continue to grow around the root ball and choke the tree to death.

Place the root ball into the planting hole. The top of the root ball should be 1/4-inch above ground level. The soil below the root ball will settle.

Fill in around the root ball with the amended soil. Firm the soil down around root ball to eliminate air pockets.

Water the dwarf willow to a depth of 18 inches. Provide an inch of water every week for the first month. Deep-water the willow to keep the soil moist, but not soggy wet. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Place a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch around the dwarf willow, keeping the mulch an inch away from the trunk. The mulch conserves ground moisture.

Feed the dwarf willow with an all-purpose fertilizer early in the spring, before any growth begins. Mix and apply according to label directions.