A walk in the willow beds, a look the health of my willow plants, disease and pests. September 2021

[@mrs.americanmade7452]

Hi Hanna from the USA, You are living in what I would call Willow World HEAVEN!!!!! I am 64 and I have always wanted to do and live just like this but was never able due to a family business I have ran for 46 years .....I watch you and what a Peaceful therapeutic world you step into every day.....I live on a river and there is willow growing along it but I have never ventured to cut and use it as my life is busy but I dream that someday I could take time to Live and create.....You are a Perfect Crafter, Perfect Lady and everything you create is simply Beautiful and Unique, Hanna you are SOOOOooooo Blessed to step into that Studio you Built and start crafting without any humans around you, I could do that and If I never come in contact with a human life I would thoroughly enjoy my World Weaving, May God Bless you with many years to craft and create Beauty from Nature around you.....The Joy in your Heart and Soul Shines through, Willow Sparks your Soul, it is your Calling.....Thank you for letting us in to your World to experience if only for a short time watching such a Peaceful Passionate way to Live.....

[@annabreheney5566]

Couldn't have said it better!

[@TheMrpiggyboy]

I will say take a week end and do it. Cut the willow along the river I have been using them for 43 years. Cut the willow now, February, while the sap is in the roots, make a mellon baslet. You will use the willow green befor it drys out. Do it.

[@carolewarner101]

Wow Hanna, you're SERIOUS! SO many willows and so much of it. Wow...

[@Artisan_crafts]

Because of your videos Hanna I just preordered 20 willow cuttings that I’ll plant this spring. Thank you for a series of educational - and inspiring videos. Keep up the great work.

[@HannaVanAelst]

Oh exciting!

[@carolschedler3832]

Wow! Great! How did your new willows do?? Are they growing nicely?

[@backwoodsbaby9729]

You are fantastic! In my opinion i think you are the top willow basket topic channel on youtube. Thank you for putting everything you do on here! Im halfway across the world & can learn from you because there is no local places to learn at here. Im going to order my first willow cuttings this year!

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thanks so much 😊 delighted you will start growing willow too!

[@bjchadwick4261]

Thanks for this video. I really enjoyed it. I’ll probably never grow willow for basketry but it is good to realize what goes into the craft.

[@craftylilhandses]

Hi Hanna! Hard to believe this was only 4 months ago; that yearly circle we go through with willow is magical and very very grounding. Loved this video, the level of detail you go into is exactly what I've been hoping to find. Aside from the wealth of information passed along it's also nice to finally watch someone else nerding out over willow with abandon! Really looking forward to that upcoming coppice vs pollard level video. So interesting to see the tilled/cardboard pollards doing so well compared to the no dig/newspaper ones this year. Might feel like a 'mistake' but I really really appreciate the insight your hiccup allows us all so we can learn from your experience. I will spend the next few weeks planting all sorts of basketry willow all over the place and am very excited to embark on this journey. Thank you for being such a generous and confidence-building teacher!

[@yahslionessarisingwatchman2381]

Thank you so much for sharing

[@juliahaskett-smith977]

What is the music playing in the background? Love it .

[@dewaynearave7402]

love it!

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thanks!

[@GrizzlyGroundswell]

Now this is one of the most helpful videos on youtube! Hanna you rock, this is so helpful!!! Thank you!

[@HannaVanAelst]

Welcome!

[@mariawood5784]

Hi Hanna, I loved wandering around with you on your tour :) Why can't you use rods if they are branched? Mine have branched a lot in their 3rd year. They are soooooo tall. I wonder will they branch less next year. thank you and I hope you are enjoying your new studio

[@HannaVanAelst]

You can snip off the side branches, but usually branchy rods don't have a nice enough taper, meaning the bottom stem is too thick to weave and the rod is not long enough. Branching is normal in the first year or two depending on the willow variety, it should be gone by year 3 normally!

[@ДмитрийПлотников-д6с]

Молодец так держать!!!

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thanks, I will!

[@InJusticeAustralia]

thank you for sharing your knowledge. I would love to grow willow, but am concerned it is known to be invasive. Can you please give some advise on this? thank you.

[@cpnotill9264]

Did you ever find out if this could become invasive?

[@cjrodgers3922]

Can you tell us the variety of willow you grow the long willow ?

[@kloverdevi8409]

What kind of willow for weaving would you recommend for warmer Mediterranean climes? There are many willow growing here, I think they are called ‘crack willow’ because the bigger older branches crack and fall to the ground and sometimes that branch will grow and other times it will die, but I notice that the young saplings seem to branch out more in their growing pattern than yours - yours are so straight and tall and singular…

[@magickmagazine7675]

What type of willow do your grow ?

[@carolewarner101]

Hanna, we are thinking about creating a reed bed style grey water treatment system, but instead of planting reeds to clean the water I was thinking about planting willows! I won't be making a ton of baskets, but if I could plant a few different colored varieties to treat and clean our grey water I'd be getting a double yield from the willows. Cleaning our water whilst providing us basket material. That's my thought anyway. Do you know the best place in the US to order different willow varieties or only the best in your area? Thanks for the inspiration!

[@christinecrane7299]

Hanna I am going to grow some willow this year. I live in the northeast NH USA Do I plant in the spring? And how long until I can harvest the willow? Is it three years or longer? Thank you so much for sharing your skill. You are amazing. I would like to order from your site for the willow but having trouble creating an account. Maybe you can direct me? Thank you. Biggest fan.😊

[@HannaVanAelst]

Hi Christine, i am excited that you are planting willow! you can plant anytime in winter, before spring growth, as long as the ground is not frozen. You will harvest every year in winter. Although the first two harvests will be small. I can't send cuttings to the USA as they are living plants. Love h

[@nicomyth]

Willamette Willows sells many varieties in the US.

[@RICDirector]

Dingdongs nursery is another good one in the pacific nw. Thanks for the additional source!

[@kaishah.6931]

Hanna, I would love some advice on getting started with growing a large amount of willow. Acreage needed? Can you start small, like 1/2 acre? There are few commercial growers in the states and I am interested in bringing in a more local source.

[@HannaVanAelst]

I would start really small, like just trial a few different varieties. Even though they will grow it is still good to see how they grow on your land, if they do poorly look for different kinds. I would never just plant a few acres before knowing what willow does well on my land. I have grown willow that does really well for all my friends, but here it gets canker, large black marks on the bark, and is not usable anymore. So my advice, start small and expand as you go over many years.

[@levijordan9439]

​@@HannaVanAelst how do you remove crops that do this? Are you able to remove roots?

[@annanelson6830]

Is that fireweed I see among the willows? 4:22-5;10. Looks like spent fireweed, but probably not. I am in interior Alaska and the fireweed grows well in the same places the willow does.

[@HannaVanAelst]

No it is willow herb, taking over the beds in patches.

[@craftylilhandses]

@@HannaVanAelst Hi Anna and Hanna! Turns out it is fireweed - it's just called willowherb in Ireland and the UK instead!

[@Nodeoergosum]

Hannah, do you sell willow cuttings? I would be interested in starting a bed of Flanders Red, but would like long cuttings if possible. I started my 'Eel Catchers Willow' this year on 2ft cuttings and they are doing exceptionally well, while the Black Maul I purchased as 25cm cuttings are poor and variable by comparison. Have you tried Flanders Red on long stocks?

[@HannaVanAelst]

Yes cuttings are on the website. Also sent an email...

[@josephshoemate9933]

Hello, can you suggest varieties that would be good to try in the California dryer weather??

[@HannaVanAelst]

No sorry I have no experience with growing there sorry

[@kloverdevi8409]

And what is the name of the tune that is played throughout this video? Sounds like on a harp

[@grendel_nz]

Is that some type of hogweed at around 19:00 ? Don't want to let that touch skin. Hope donkeys are canny :) I guess you can prune out or remove inner rows as time goes on if heads get too big. Giving more space and ventilation.

[@andreahill9695]

Hi Hanna, I'm in PEI, Canada (zone 5), can I ask what varietal of willow you would recommend for a willow fence? And do I need to be concerned with pipe damage with all varietals, regarding sewage/water lines? Thank you.

[@CWorgen5732]

I'm not Hanna, but you should not plant willows within 20 feet of any pipes or house foundation. Probably even farther away! They LOVE water and will break pipes to get it.

[@TheVspankster]

What do you do if/when you discover disease or bugs?

[@rnggall9640]

Question at 23:40 is the rod growth below the main thick stool 'ok' or should it be rubbed off early? Obviously not feasible in a large bed! Thank you for the informative video

[@HannaVanAelst]

You can rub them off yes but I just cut them off with the main harvest. Over time the willow stool will thicken and stop sending up shoots from the bottom of the stem, but will send them up from the top of the stool. Love x

[@PlentifulPlanet]

what tome of year?

[@lionolee5480]

I think most of your problems may go away if you add compost and fertilizer to help feed it and grow stronger.

[@vasiliy9200]

Красивая ива и сортов много.

[@HannaVanAelst]

Thanks!

[@LM-uq9nv]

I see a good deal of " how to" online articles and videos about live willow sculpture and fencing, but can find no clear advice as to what kind of willow to use, or where to obtain it. For beginners, this not obvious, and necessary information is a barrier to undertaking any project.

[@grendel_nz]

Not much evidence or rabbits or deer?