We are developing a range of willow products including artists charcoal, plant supports, baskets, hurdles, with more to come. Again, harvesting willow as a biomass fuel differs to the way in which we harvest our willow for weaving. 29 Broughton Road We sell willow cuttings and dormant willow rods for planting in spring and dried willow for basketry all year round - shipping to locations in Canada and the USA. Here on the Somerset Levels, the soil and climatic conditions are ideal for growing high quality willow. Last week, three friends met at Lakeshore Willows for three days of concentrated weaving with willow. Within 12 months of planting you will be able to use some of your own material to make some of the projects in this book. Willow branches are thin and extremely pliable, so they can also be used for cordage and basket weaving. While the long, slender branches of most willow tree species lend themselves to creation of beautiful woven baskets, certain larger willow species are preferred by weavers around the world. You can buy pot-grown willows, but many species are also available to buy as a ‘withy’. As Katherine Lewis became interested in willow basketmaking, she realized she would need to grow her own materials since very little cultivated willow was available to purchase in our area. Over the years, Double A Willow has developed a large and impressive nursery capable of providing willow cuttings for sale to growers across North America. My particular focus was growing, harvesting and making things from willow. There are four principal weed control alternatives: Hand Weeding on small scale planting using a hoe is practical however it is time consuming which needs to be undertaken on a regular basis throughout the growing season and can be demanding. Of the scores of varieties of willow commonly used in basket weaving, six grow on a 1000-square metre plot at the back of Mike Lilian and Annemarie Liesbeth’s house in the coastal settlement of Kakanui, 15 minutes drive south of Oamaru. CUTTINGS: The general rule is the more vigorous the variety, the greater the spacing required between plants. Pruning. Basket Camp. There are literally hundreds of varieties of willow, many of these are found growing wild in the countryside or by streams and rivers, many are cultivars grown for ornamental appeal but the willow which is grown on a commercial scale for basketry or charcoal making is the type of willow I use. From biofuel production to weaving, we offer willow cuttings and willow whips that can meet your unique needs. Your email address will not be published. GROWING WILLOW. L ocated in Wainfleet, Ontario we grow our own willows without use of any pesticides. It will grow well in a wide variety of soils and is fairly tolerant with regard to soil … Willows are also grown in areas where the soil … If you’d like to enjoy the medicinal benefits of willow, but can’t find any in your area, you can always purchase white willow bark from Mountain … Both materials are black and speed up the process of soil warming in spring. Milton Keynes Village This site uses cookies to improve your user experience. If you don’t want to go the “grow-it-yourself” route, Gardener’s Supply Company has a terrific selection of willow fencing and expandable willow trellises. I plant the willows in the field 50 cm (20") between the rows and 25 cm (10") apart in the row. Workshops are held frequently here at Lakeshore Willows and I teach classes at other venues too. 3. Quick growing and producing lots of flexible stems, willow and hazel trees offer a plentiful supply of natural material that you can work with in the garden. Willow. Salix ( Willow) is in general is a vigorous species, however during the first two or three years it is important to minimize competition from weeds giving the new plants time to become established. Growing willow on the Somerset Levels. It grows very fast: one or two years it could grow to be a weeping willow tree with many branches, during the whole growing period, we do not need any special management, it grows naturally. Planting willow cuttings and growing tips: You can grow basket willows in a wide range of soil types, but they prefer well drained soils in full sun. If you have an area in your garden around the size of a double garage you have enough room to grow a few different species of willow. The weeping willow (Salix babylonica), famous for the long, elegant branches that fall or “weep” from its crown, is a quick-growing landscape tree. CAUTION DO NOT plant WILLOW close to buildings, walls, stone structures, drains & septic tanks where their roots may cause damage, as willow needs plenty of water and the roots actively seek it. Begin at one end of the fence and weave the willow rods into a diamond lattice pattern. Basket camp on the north shore of scenic Lake Erie included early morning walks with Duke and Hansen. An open sunny site where willow will grow well, it prefers good moisture retentive soils ( with good drainage ) which remain damp all year round as willow thrives in such conditions. Log in, « The secret recipe for a Happy Shearing Day on your homestead, Harvesting Medicinals from Pine Trees on Your Homestead ». MK10 9AH. The best time for planting is from the middle of November until early April. These are graded by length and sold by the dry pound ($10/pound - with a discount for over 10 pounds). Growing willow to make things is a rewarding process, with relatively quick results. It is advisable at this time to add some organic material at this time to give the willow a ready source of nutrients.We use organic farm yard manure. Look at how much this basket willow has grown since the last video!. ( about 5 cm ) 2 inches and firm the soil around it. However for planting in the garden these spacings can be much more flexible. The number of rods per pound varies with the length of the rods. The soil should be free from grass weeds and other vegetation, this can be achieved either spraying overall with a contact or translocated herbicide or better still removing them by hand. Otago-based artist, landscape and garden designer Lynne Wilson holds willow weaving workshops to do just that. Willow is one of the easiest trees to plant. Can I plant the willow in a shaded spot? Mowing is also an option for large plantings as it controls weeds between the rows and the clippings can be left behind as a form of mulching. The site needs to be cultivated to a minimum of 25.cm to provide a good free soil structure for the new willows to become established. I hope that one day I will be growing willow to fuel our wood burning stove but I need to learn more about this and find out the best place to source the willow and correct type etc. We grow on a loamy clay with a pH of 6.2 – 7.0 approx. We have been growing willow for basketry since 1994 at Dunbar Gardens, located just west of Mount Vernon, Washington in the Pacific Northwest, USA. There are literally hundreds of varieties of willow. We suggest a planting distance of 1.5 times the maximum height that the plant will be allowed to grow. You can use the stems to make supports for climbing plants, to weave into screens, hurdles or edging – even create stunning sculptures. The willow genus is Salix, a word that derives from the Celtic sallis. Similarly in more temperate climates, willow has … It is likely that the willow you are familiar with or that’s growing in … Mulching by using either landscape fabric or heavy grade silage sheeting, the landscape fabric has the advantage of letting rain water penetrate as well as near 100% weed control. And if you are putting this much effort into growing, harvesting and weaving, you surely want your basket or chair to last as long as possible! Simply soak dried willow in water to make the willow pliable again and ready for weaving. It involves weaving live willow rods between live willow stakes set into the bank at regular intervals. I grow 3 acres of cultivated willow - some I harvest each year and they grow to be beautiful straight rods varying in length from 3-8'. Choice of spacing depends upon the vigour of the variety chosen and the size of the rods you want to produce and almost every grower will give slight variations dependent on their personal experience. how to use willow as a natural rooting hormone. Some basket weavers prefer to coppice the willow, which means cutting it down to the ground during winter. Thursday, September 2, 2010. Furniture should never be woven with green willow. Perhaps the most ubiquitous basket material comes from the willow. If taking weaving basket as an interest, it’s practical to cut the trig from the willow tree. How to plants shrubs Maintaining Your Willow Hedge The living fedge structure will require periodic pruning and weaving of new growth. Willows help to filter toxic waste and purify the soil. 7. The willows will grow in almost all areas of the US and are very hardy. In the mean time I have been focusing on willow weaving as I want to learn how to … Marsh Willow began when basketmaker, Julie Gurr and her partner James Strangeways began growing willow on Romney Marsh in East Sussex in 2017. A bed 2m wide x 3.5m long contains 52 willow plants each producing 6 or more willow rods each year. To do that most basket makers plant their willow through a weed suppressor. If planting through plastic etc. NB The colour of the willow will vary slightly depending upon the soil type and pH value. By using this site you agree to these cookies being set. In winter, when shoots are pliable, weave in the new growth to fill gaps in the design or strengthen the structure, but avoid directing shoots downwards as they will die. Take your cutting, which is just a piece of a living willow tree of the variety you want to grow, and push it into the ground. Work the rods so that all the right facing rods pass over the left-facing rods on the lowest pass. Willow trees are big, graceful trees that are relatively low-maintenance and hardy enough to grow in a variety of conditions. Push the cutting into the ground first leaving a minimum of three buds showing Buckinghamshire It will grow well in a wide variety of soils and is fairly tolerant with regard to soil pH. Willow can grow up to 2m (6½ft) per year, so you may need to trim several times during summer to keep the shape of the structure These woven ‘walls’ can hold back the banks and as the willow grows, the roots form a dense root mat that binds the bank together, making it stronger and preventing future erosion. CUTTINGS: The cuttings we supply are 25-30 cm (10-12 inches ) in length and should be planted with the triangular shaped buds pointing upwards with at least three buds showing above ground level, which is on average 5 cm ( 2 inches ). Depending on your preferences and end goal, there are even different ways to grow the willow. Willow growing. Most of the varieties of willow I use for sculptures are cultivars and grown commercially for basketry and artist charcoal. Plant … Hurdles, continuous weave fences, fedges (living fences), and other living structures such as bowers, domes, tunnels and seats and benches both for play and relaxation. For larger scale planting we use row widths 30 – 45 cms ( 12-18 inches ) with cuttings spaced between 30-50 cm ( 12-20 inches ) apart. If you are using mulch remember to allow for the depth of the mulch. “Lunar Willow growing and Harvesting” According to ‘Old Wives Tales’ it is best to harvest rods for weaving under a waning moon - and willow grows best when cuttings are planted on a waxing moon. 5. Basketry willow is planted close to force the willow to grow long, straight rods without side shoots. Willow rods taken from a yearly coppiced stand can be used to make a range of handy baskets, but also to craft a variety of artistic garden displays such as sculptures, fences, screens and tepees. It is important though to keep weeds away from the growing stem. the spike will punch a hole through the sheet / fabric, thus leaving virtually no gap for weeds to grow through. Poke the soil with a long stick and slide the cuttings into the hole until you have buried them. We enjoy making films of the willow growing process and our production methods. Construction, scaffolding, weaving, and crafts: Bamboos are one of the fastest-growing group of plants on planet Earth and have been widely used in Asia for construction, scaffolding and weaving. This method has the advantage of giving an early boost to spring growth as well as good moisture retention throughout. Willow basketry, willow growing, cultured basketry willow collection, willow and basketry related links. A withy is a single willow stem. An open sunny site where willow will grow well, it prefers good moisture retentive soils (with good drainage) which remain damp all year round as willow thrives in such conditions. Can I use the willow growing in my garden? We do not sell dried willow rods for basketmaking or weaving. Make a vertical hole in the bed with a metal spike with a diameter at least equal to the cutting and to a depth of approx 25 cm ( 10 inches ). A Willow Bed can be planted on a surprisingly small area of ground. Inasmuch, there are a variety of willow species you can use. Willow stems are very quick to root and extremely maleable, so they’re perfect for weaving into growing willow structures. This system increases the amount of natural insect life to thrive many of which are beneficial. Mike has been making and selling willow baskets in dozens of styles since 1985. LIVING RODS: Spacing of approx.15 cm ( 6 inches ) is about average, however this can be greater or smaller depending on the type of structure and personal choice. The strongest and most durable products are woven from dried willow that is soaked to make it pliable. This applies to cuttings, whips, rods and trees, especially the more vigorous varieties. Dried willow branches provide the perfect medium for weaving willow baskets, furniture, and wreaths. At one end of the rods so that all the right facing rods pass over the rods! This method has the advantage of giving an early boost to spring as! And climatic conditions are growing willow for weaving for growing high quality willow being set remember to for! Some basket weavers prefer to coppice the willow early boost to spring growth as well as good moisture throughout... At one end of the mulch all the right facing rods pass over left-facing! Do that most basket makers plant their willow through a weed suppressor throughout... 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