Willow Wattles and Raised Beds

Willow Cuttings

• Willow is most commonly propagated from cuttings. Cuttings can be ordered online from a variety of nurseries and come ready to plant. Most are harvested during late fall for shipping in the winter, so you'll need to keep them in your fridge until it's time to plant. Willows that are cut back to the ground every winter will produce long, straight wattles that are perfect for weaving.

Preparing the Beds

• Preparing your willow beds the year before you plant is ideal. Willows are generally hardy and will grow well in a variety of soil types. Willows require excellent drainage so raised beds are a good option. Raised beds will need to be large as willows require adequate growing space. Depending on the variety, you'll need to leave between 8 and 12 inches between plants and about 32 inches between rows. For an adequate harvest, you may need several raised beds, depending on how much weaving you do. If you have other raised beds in your garden, be sure that nearby willows, which grow 5 to 6 feet tall, will not shade them out.

Planting and Care

• Once your raised beds are prepared, you're ready to plant. Place your willow cuttings directly into the ground. Push them into the soil 4 or 5 inches. Make sure you leave at least three or four buds above ground and that the pointed part of each bud is pointed up. Supply them with plenty of water and cut them back to the ground after leaf drop in the winter. Leave at least an inch of stem above ground. Continued care is simple: supply your cuttings with adequate irrigation, keep their beds weed-free and cut them to the ground every winter.

Harvesting

• Harvesting from a raised bed is easy to do. After the leaves drop in the fall, use sharp lopping shears to cut the rows on the outside of the raised bed. Cutting the outside rows first will allow easier access to inside rows. Once the outside rows are cut, you may have to step into the raised bed to cut the inside rows. Cut all wattles to about 1 inch above the soil line.