Planting Dappled Willow Cuttings

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Thanks for the instructions! They really are beautiful and airy plants/shrubs!

[@GardenSanity]

You're welcome AJ! I agree with your about Dappled Willow's beauty! 👍And I also am happy to find your channel, as I can't wait to dig in -- especially to watch your visit to the Chelsea Flower Show -- totally envious! 😀

[@carlaradke4066]

I've got some cuttings in water but I think most of them the branches are too small. One that I think is a good one has leaves sprouting on it. I'm going to get some thicker branches and get them started. Had to cover my newly planted DW last night as we had our first frost-freeze. Got down to 25 but tomorrow night going to be in high 40s. Can't wait to have a seedling to plant!

[@GardenSanity]

That’s great you have some cuttings Carla! Perhaps you can plant some of them into pots, where they can continue to grow their roots and stems. You could get them started indoors, then move the pots outside in a couple of months to allow them to go dormant. Brrrrr to your 25 degree night! 🥶🙂

[@AcornHillHomestead]

We bought dappled willows in gallon pots in late spring 2022. Within the summer they were 7 feet tall. Im guessing left unpruned they’d be 10’ feet tall here in upper midwest zone 4. I have 24, 6” cuttings that all took starting early in late Feb, early March this year 2023 in my garage shop where I left them in a filtered sun window. I started them in a 12 cell 2” x 3” recycled nursery tray using a rooting hormone and damp standard home made potting mix of peat, ground bark, perlite and in three weeks I put them outside against a west facing wall, behind my compost bin under our mature cherry tree. I watered them, set them inside a covered clear tote and checked on them weeks later. One night it was supposed to get below freezing so I brought them onto my deck and forgot about them but they were all still growing nicely. Time to up pot them I think! 😳 maybe I’ll repot them into some saved deep 4” containers this week and gradually work up to gallon pots early this summer. Ive never done shrub cuttings and and am quite happy with how they’ve done so far. So cool when something like that works.

[@GardenSanity]

I'm so glad your cuttings are doing so well! Did you end up potting them up? I kept mine in pots for another year before I finally planted them into the ground. I just wanted to make sure they were strong enough, and they are doing nicely in the ground so far. As for how fast they can grow -- ours were maybe 15 feet hight at one point, which is why we coppiced them down to the ground to start over fresh. (I have other videos about how unruly they became, if you're interested in watching.) By the way, once I potted mine up and had them develop their roots over the Summer/Fall season, I put them close to my house for the Winter to keep warm -- but -- still kept them outdoors to harden off, since A) they go dormant in Winter anyway, and B) I could then enjoy the red twigs when looking right outside. You're going to have a nice selection to plant and I promise you that each time you look at them, you'll smile knowing you started them from cuttings yourself! 💚🌱

[@truthofthematter9409]

I must get some Dappled Willow. So airy and pretty! This year I'll stuff some starts of some of my panicle hydrangeas in my outside pots and plant them all out this coming Spring. I've had such good results every other year doing this.

[@GardenSanity]

That’s wonderful that you have good results with propagating panicle hydrangeas! How many have you planted so far? Next year I want to propagate some of my perennials. 🪴🙂

[@truthofthematter9409]

@@GardenSanity Oh gosh, maybe 20? 😂 Most are in a holding bed until they get older. I still have one in a pot that I haven't gotten into the ground. I've found that the limelight and firelight are the easiest for me but will try others this year. Once they're a bit bigger I'll likely gift a lot to family and friends. I just stick them into a pot and water then leave them alone until late winter or early spring. It's been really easy so far

[@GardenSanity]

@@truthofthematter9409 Impressive! I'm loving the Fire Light's fall color, so I think I'll try to make more of them next year. In the Spring I stuck a branch from the Limelight Tree into a pot of dirt, but I think I drowned it with water...it didn't do anything but die. 😐

[@truthofthematter9409]

@@GardenSanity I love it's fall color too. It's really beautiful to dry out too. It turns a muted purple color.... just lovely to decorate your home in the fall. I've even dried my limelight flowers out and filled my christmas tree in the dinning room with it. Everyone complimented it.

[@truthofthematter9409]

@@GardenSanity Don't give up, it works, I promise.

[@SnappyR]

Great information - I have two dappled willows growing in full hot afternoon sun but they are thriving. This is their second season in the ground. I took cuttings a few weeks ago and put them in small containers - they are growing green foliage. I don't have a sunny spot in my house to continue them on in these pots and it will get cold soon - right now they are on a covered screened in porch with the sun in the morning moving around this porch mostly until 1 in the afternoon - then it's just part sun. I'm hoping to just leave these on my porch over the winter as I'm sure they will go dormant. It's just an experiment at this point - I started these in water first, then when I saw roots, I put them in the small pots. They are still tiny stems. Any thoughts would be appreciated because you are now my go-to dappled willow expert 🙂

[@GardenSanity]

How fun that you have cuttings! 😀 You can definitely leave them outside during the Winter. I did that too, keeping them close to my home’s foundation so they were a tiny bit sheltered. But they also had snow dumped on them and survived just fine. You’re right that they go dormant, just make sure they don’t dry out, since they won’t receive rain or snow in your covered porch. Water them every so often, and you should have some nice little cuttings in the Spring! 👍💚🪴

[@SnappyR]

@@GardenSanity Thanks - I have nine cuttings - if a few survive I'll be on my way to a hedge border - Yay! So far they all have green growth!!

[@GardenSanity]

That’s fantastic, and yes you’ll have a hedge that you grew yourself: it’s a fun feeling! 👍🪴

[@willaerley7140]

I’m planning to get rid of my DW next year. I like my foundation plants to be neat and tidy and DW does not play along. Maybe, I’ll try to grow some cuttings just in case I find a good spot.

[@GardenSanity]

You’re right that unless you want to constantly prune DW, it needs room to grow. I originally had planted DW in our front foundation bed when we first bought our home and quickly realized my mistake! 😬🙂 Definitely keep some cuttings!

[@gh_007]

I'm in zone 5, and looking to plant some of these in a row as a privacy hedge. How far away from the house should it be planted? The area I'm thinking of is around 15 feet from the house, and the other end will be around 5 feet from a 200 yr old established maple tree. Will the roots destroy either the house or the established tree? Also, what is the minimal recommended spacing in btwn these shrubs? Thank you for your instructive video! I'm about to also buy some biotone.

[@GardenSanity]

Hi Grace, thanks for your questions! I have an entire playlist about Dappled Willow, which I think will be worth watching before you decide on planting them -- just so you can be sure on exactly where you will plant them (and not have to dig them up later). Here's the link to all 9 videos: kzbin.info/aero/PLenOueHl62OwhvBhPnb7Ne0TOkOxt-rhv&si=MLiXKhw093NBVs0Y If you scroll back up to the description box above, you'll see a link to my free guide that will answer many of your questions too. In general, you want to make sure the roots won't interfere with any below-ground pipes, sprinkler lines, or septic tanks, as these Dappled Willow roots love to keep seeking water underground. They aren't as problematic as other varieties of Willows -- however -- to be on the safe side is best. They can grow tall and wide, and planting them 6 feet apart is best. I hope all of the videos and the free guide are helpful to you!