Willow cuttingis a procedure responsible, among other things, for the correct habit of the plant and its he althy growth. Thewillow pruningis usually an easy-to-perform procedure, but we must know thatdifferent species of willow are pruned differentlyTherefore, it is worth discussing the principles of cutting individual types willow. Seehow and when to properly trim the willowto make it look attractive and fully decorate your garden!
Cutting willow
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Willow (Salix) as a type of deciduous tree is a large group of species. In order to understand the topic of willow pruning, it is worth dividing these species into subgroups. Each of them has different cutting and care requirements. The general rule, however, is thatwillow trees are pruned after floweringIf.webp we do this in advance, before picking the shoots, the willows will not produce attractive cats. "
Cutting low shrub and miniature willows
This group includes willows such as Swiss willow (Salix helvetica), woolly willow (Salix lanata), or spear willow (Salix hastata) 'Werhahnii'. These low-growing willows, which reach a maximum of 1.5 m in height, are primarily used in small gardens and rockeries.These willows do not require any pruning after planting.We only remove older shoots from time to time. With these willows we do not make a very strong cut, the so-calledrejuvenating as they are unable to satisfactorily rejuvenate after an intense cut.
Cutting bush willow
This group includes the gray willow (Salix elaeagnos) 'Angustifolia' or the purple willow (Salix purpurea) 'Nana'. They grow up to 3 m in height.Pruning willow from this group is done by trimming it by 2/3 right after planting , and then allowing it to develop freely for 2-3 years. Subsequently, in the spring after flowering, it should be shortened approx. 15-20 cm above the ground.
Cutting vigorous willow
This group consists of such willow species as: gray willow (Salix elaeagnos), purple willow (Salix purpurea), basket willow (Salix viminalis), laurel willow (Salix daphnoides) and willow (Salix carpea). They are large plants growing to a height of 6 to 8 m. They are most often planted as part of the greenery on the banks of rivers and lakes or as a solitaire in the garden.
White willow (Salix alba) after rejuvenating cut
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After planting these willows, it is recommended to cut 2/3 of the length of the shoots.These plants are usually allowed to grow freely, we remove only crossing branches or those that disturb their habit. After a few years, you can make a rejuvenating cut, as willows regenerate well. Before knocking out the shoots, cut the branches to a height of 1.5-2 m.
Pruning willow cutting
An example of willow with hanging shoots are the varieties of willow (Salix carpea) 'Pendula', 'Kilmarnock' or 'Weeping Sally'.It is not necessary to cut willow with shoots hanging down after planting , as plants are often sold in containers, vaccinated at a certain height.The first cut of the weeping willow should be started after the plants have fadedand then remove all weak shoots, and trim the remaining ones by 2/3, so that the bushes develop a strong, well-branched skeleton.
Stems of the weeping willow may fall down to the ground
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To maintain the umbrella habit of weeping willowand intensive flowering, remove about half of the shoots after flowering each year, so that the growths form a loose, well-branched curtain that will last until the end of the growing season it will reach the ground.
When pruning weeping willow , it's a good idea to start by thinning out the crown first, emphasizing its umbrella-like habit. We x-ray the side shoots located in the outer part of the crown. You should alsoregularly remove suckers and shoots below the vaccination site
Cutting willow with decorative shoots
Manchurian willow (Salix matsudana) 'Tortuosa', weeping willow of the Argentinian variety or the mourning willow (Salix x sepulcralis) 'Erytchroflexuosa' with more or less bent branches and yellow or red bark, require pruning from time to time translucent in order to keep the color visible on young shoots.
Manchurian willow 'Tortuosa' has strongly twisted stems and leaves
The firstwillow cutting from this group is performed right after planting , removing all weak and thin shoots, and shortening the remaining strong shoots by 2/3. In the following years, cutting will not be necessary. We only remove dried and dead branches. You should also remove those shoots that had a negative effect on the plant's habit.
After about 3-4 years, we startlight translucent cutting of the willowFor this purpose, before breaking the plant or during the summer, trim some shoots at the level of lower branches or well-developed buds. Thanks to this cut, we get decorative branches for the vase. Further cutting operations are necessary only if we want to limit the rapid growth of the willow. If we want the willow to be no more than 3 m high, trim all shoots 60 cm above the ground at the end of winter.
How to become confident in pruning plants?
If you are unsure how to cut or simply afraid to do it, the fantastic book "Cutting School" will help you. Thanks to it, you will gain confidence in pruning plants and learn to cut plants so that they grow according to your expectations. After reading this book, your approach to pruning plants will probably change completely!
