Pruning and Pollarding Our Willows || Spring Cleanup Continues

[@adz5bneweng589]

Love the way you walked us through which branches you decided to remove and why - so helpful!

[@growformegardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ChristyH1973]

OMG I laughed out loud… the look on Eric’s face when he thought he split his jeans. 😂

[@growformegardening]

hahaha and to think it was just the branch smacking him

[@kathyv3909]

What a beautiful technique. I've never heard of this type of pruning before. So far this is the most educational video of 2024. What a fun harvest and thank you for the hearty laugh Eric!!

[@growformegardening]

That's very nice of you. This was one of our favorite videos to make.

[@daliavara3585]

You guys are fun to watch and love the way you go about gardening together. Learned something new about Pollarding. Thank you!

[@growformegardening]

I appreciate that!

[@ElaineKrysiak]

The two of you are an absolute laugh riot! Keep up the good work, you are awesome!

[@growformegardening]

Thanks so much!

[@MelindaBrooks-vj3fr]

Love the pruning videos because amateurs need to know and to watch! I find this info harder to understand from a book.

[@growformegardening]

Same!! I did a lot of reading and watching to try and figure it out. Then when the willow got out of control I finally had something to practice on

[@AliPillette]

You two are adorable. I love watching you work together. I had never heard of this technique. I love it.

[@growformegardening]

Isn't it fun?!

[@skigirl2112]

I love the vibe of your videos and the patience you have with each other while tackling these projects. Your humility encourages new gardeners to try.

[@growformegardening]

That is very encouraging to us!

[@joannajones4997]

Get yourselves a saws-all!!! Perfect for the lower branches in awkward angles in lieu of the pruning saw!

[@growformegardening]

This is a must have

[@ADawnAubrey]

Pollarding....who knew?! Love your videos❤ You are fearless with your pruning. Also, great rake! Always enjoyable and educational.

[@growformegardening]

It's so much fun to do. Scary at first but once you get going it becomes easy

[@melaniem5971]

We do this on a weeping willow and I didn’t even know it is a technique! That’s so much for this video.. Stay warm !

[@growformegardening]

Thank you! You too!

[@DianeSchicker]

watching the slow process come to life really helps us understand what the final outcome should look like. thanks for taking your time to do this, and i love the look.

[@growformegardening]

I’m glad you liked it. We are trying to make sure we cover everything

[@kathystarnes6744]

Yes, this was an extremely helpful video. Thank you!

[@growformegardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@daiseegray9110]

Thanks for asking questions, this is so informative. LOVE Bunny Guinness. 🌼🐝

[@growformegardening]

She’s such a hoot. I’d love to meet her one day

[@bonnamcmann5771]

I just learned so much about a new way to prune. Love your videos

[@growformegardening]

I'm so glad! It makes me feel like I'm on my way to be a fancy British gardener!

[@Edu_Kate]

Oh my gosh! I love watching you work in your garden. You are such a great collaborative team. To hear the click of the pruners and loppers is music to my ears. I've tried copicing before and need to do it to my ninebark hedge and selective coppicing on my dwarf mock orange. First time, I took everything down to the ground and by July it was almost as tall as it had been, but with fresh young stems. I did not know about pollarding. So it was quite enjoyable and informative watching you create the design. Now, get yourselves a reciprocating saw! I have several of those pruning saws because they get dull and I can't imagine how to sharpen the blade. With the cordless saw, just replace the blades when they get dull. I keep the more dull blades for dirt work such as dividing plants or root pruning. Thanks for keeping your audience in mind. Christopher, I knew you had to have some art experience. I studied cosmetology about a hundred years ago. My HS guidance counselor recommended I take an art class to ready me for my potential career. I never worked in the business, however. I went into marketing, editing. Been retired for a while and antsy to get into the garden!

[@growformegardening]

Haha wait until it is time to shear the boxwoods! That’s when I get really excited with the shears.

[@iancampbell168]

I’m so glad you also remove some of the hellebore foliage, need to expose those gorgeous blooms! I LOVE hellebores! Last year I bought so many from my local Lowe’s/Home Depot for $12!

[@growformegardening]

I am in the hunt for apricot and dark hellebores… I just refuse to spend $50!!

[@barbdarby1087]

I ❤ you guys. You have quickly become my favorite garden KZbinr to watch. You teach me and inspire me. Thanks for sharing this, so going to pollard my willow.

[@growformegardening]

Wow, thank you! That means a lot

[@stephaniegarten5947]

I feel like I want to help. Oh, the suspense. I had a blast watching 😅

[@growformegardening]

Well we have a lot of hydrangeas to prune soon so feel free to swing by. Haha

[@stephaniegarten5947]

@growformegardening oh, I will I watch every one. Lol. I'm helping from my chair .

[@growformegardening]

haha I love it

[@jillrenier3194]

I love this idea so much! Because I always love the foliage on these shrubs but don’t like the bulky shrub look, these look gorgeous now! Beautiful. Oh I cannot wait to get one planted this Spring. Well done ❤️❤️❤️

[@growformegardening]

Glad you like them!

[@mjecheverria4197]

You two are the sweetest❤❤...thank you for the garden lessons.

[@growformegardening]

We really enjoyed this one

[@HomeSweetHomeGarden]

Admired the teamwork you both put into landscaping your yard. The garden is beautiful! I saw DeWalt cordless pruner used in Garden Answer. I tried it and was amazed no elbow grease pruning the thicker branches. Can’t wait to see the new hydrangeas room blossoms. Keep up the great work.

[@growformegardening]

I think we might need to invest in one!

[@joshb8403]

I love that you guys have two pruning styles with the hellebores! Snip snip snip! It's so hard to look at the willow nubs but kind of worth it when it leafs out! Pollarding ASMR!

[@growformegardening]

Looking out the window is cracking me up. The nubs are ridiculous

[@Edu_Kate]

THAT's the term I was thinking of. The click click click is so calming

[@growformegardening]

Haha. I was worried it would be annoying

[@RaymondandKerriHobbs]

We have a dappled willow that my hubby keeps butchering every year!! I am excited to try this as it gets in the way of our water spigot every summer!! It does grows like mad!!!

[@growformegardening]

I hope it works out for you. I really like the fact that you get to be a little creative and make the willow work for you

[@hycinth5371]

Looks good. I done similar to my lilac and I like it a lot. The birds love it too.

[@growformegardening]

Very cool

[@Jdadkins6198]

Love it! ❤ Thanks for showing the pollarding method. That is exactly what I wanted to do with my sunset Oregon Japanese maple, course it’s still little. My dad was really into bonsai trimming on Japanese maples and they look really cool at a mature age. 😊

[@growformegardening]

Oooh that sounds incredible. I would love to have more Japanese Maples.

[@sannaericditsler4034]

Oh you guys are so funny. Both the willows look good. You are going to have to get a mini chain saw.

[@growformegardening]

I know!!!! We were looking at them the other day. There is a ratio of cost to actual usage. Of course I was looking at some Ryobi battery number.

[@jcking6785]

I love to prune! It’s scary at first but the more you do it, the bolder you get. I’ve not done any coppacing but I pollard my Limelight hydrangea every year. 💚 “I think the willow is patting me on the butt”! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@growformegardening]

I was wondering what we might do a speciality pruning on next.

[@cacticollector6542]

Although I don’t have any hydrangeas in my very small gardens I love them and I’m thinking about a small section in one area of my garden. I really appreciate that you showed us how to prune them. Your gardens are so beautiful. Love that you took the time to show us when they are in full bloom.🥰 ( even though I have watched your garden tours when they are in bloom) I am always worried about pruning something wrong and killing something or else cutting off all the potential blooms for the season or whole year.

[@growformegardening]

There are wonderful tiny hydrangea varieties! You should absolutely look for a small one to add.

[@carlafini2527]

Love watching your channel! Thanks for the great content.

[@growformegardening]

Thanks for watching!

[@kathystarnes6744]

Great content guys! Thank you!💚💚💚

[@growformegardening]

Thanks for watching!

[@barbaramccann7944]

Watching your pruning saw escapades reminds me I need that $99 battery powered chain saw, perfect for those shrub branches.

[@growformegardening]

Yes!!!

[@sammysworld5485]

You guys are amazing… you don’t know how helpful this long awaited tutorial was. I have two dapple willows that I wanted to tree form. This coming Spring will be their 3rd yr in the ground. It’s gotten to be a pretty good size. I’m going to attempt this technique. Like you both mentioned, if it doesn’t work out just coppice to the ground. Please wish me luck 😅

[@growformegardening]

I am so happy that this came at the right time for you. Be bold... it will feel SO aggressive at first!

[@Patricia-lg8vg]

thank you for showing us how to pollard.

[@growformegardening]

You are so welcome. We are going to do some coppice pruning later in Spring with some other shrubs. By the time Summer comes we won't have anything left!

[@thegcgardner9383]

love the way you make projects so easy to do because of the way your teaching .amazing.

[@growformegardening]

Thanks so much 😊

[@ceci7027]

Love your videos! Such a beautiful garden. You two are too funny! 😂 thank you for sharing your garden adventures with us 🌳

[@growformegardening]

I’m glad you enjoyed it. We are having a lot of fun.

[@ChrisCalmtheCrazy]

I LOVED this video! Extremely informative and always scared to prune a shrub this dramatically. I want to recommend my new best friend in the line up of a pruner, a loper, a silky saw, and battery powered hedge trimmer, a pole saw that goes with my ... TA DA! a Ryobi One+ HP 18V Brushless 6 inch Battery Compact Pruning Mini Chain saw. It is perfect for home gardens.

[@growformegardening]

I was JUST looking at that. I do think I'm going to need a mini chain saw

[@ChrisCalmtheCrazy]

@@growformegardening It is super awesome. I discovered their weed eater, then got the grass shears, then an impact drill and sawzall, too. I am waiting to get the leaf blower. I love that I can change the battery with all the tools as I need them in my gorilla cart. I am older and these tools are so easy to use. LOVE them!

[@growformegardening]

We have a bunch of Ego+ tools. I wish we had all one brand, too many batteries flying around

[@thegcgardner9383]

I love you both,and all your doing .i live in michigan and cant wait to try pollarding to my willow.so thankful for the both of u and all that i learn from u.

[@growformegardening]

Have so much fun!!!

[@bbuchanan5235]

Very helpful video! Thank you!

[@growformegardening]

You're welcome! This was a project I've been waiting all winter to do

[@Root_and_Fleurish_Farm]

How did I know you’re a hairdresser before you said it?! 😂 pro snipper clipper for sure! I’ve been doing the same thing in the garden. Spring cleanup is sooo satisfying ❤

[@growformegardening]

Guilty! I really need to slow it down when I prune. You should see when I use hedge clippers to shape our boxwoods....I forget that it isn't a person!

[@mirkalenarcik6889]

Love your sense of humor. 💜💜 Christopher is working hard and Eric is saying "you have to enjoy the moment". But seriously, I love your trees underplanting. Do you have any video showing it in more detail through the seasons?

[@growformegardening]

We will definitely have more this season. We only started filming for KZbin in July of last year so other than the monthly tours we don't have a ton of detail on here. The collection of hostas under there is so pretty when it gets going. Last year we added coleus because we had a garden show and a deer ate a bunch of them!

[@peggy-ann1961]

That was fantastic, you two are great tutors! ❄️🇨🇦❄️

[@growformegardening]

Thanks so much! It’s a lot of fun

[@kathystoner8916]

Ok, so I live in the Napa valley and worked for 30+ years for a company that had an agricultural division selling irrigation, trellising and pruning supplies to vineyard managers of just about every major winery in this valley. Hand pruners of choice are Felcos, loppers of choice are either Corona or Bahco and pruning saws are Corona razor saws. The Coronas are readily available and the blades are replaceable-I have Corona . My fave is the Corona 7041 and I replace the blade every other year or so. I expect the Felco blade is replaceable too, but the vineyard peeps buy way more Coronas. Pruning skill (and speed) is a big deal here !Paying attention to the brands they use has never steered me wrong.

[@growformegardening]

As we go along we have been paying attention to what tools work for each of us. It isn't always the more expensive brands that come out on top. I'll check out a Corona razor saw next!

[@kp-gbuniqueinterest]

So glad we didn't get that snow storm. I need to get out there and do my pruning. I just did my fruit trees last week. I usually like to the dormant and copper spray all over my garden.

[@growformegardening]

I wish we had a little snow. It makes everything so pretty

[@christophertaylor9826]

Great video very informative; love you guys.

[@growformegardening]

Thanks so much! I was very excited for this project

[@richbishop7896]

I have an old lilac that I would like to do that to. Thanks for showing how to do it. Bonny

[@growformegardening]

ooh that would be great

[@kathytrohoske421]

I've never seen this technique. Thanks for sharing.

[@growformegardening]

Thanks for watching!

[@dianetemple4243]

Well this came at the perfect time for me! I have a dappled willow that I had to coppice two years ago and it is looking pretty rough. Pollarding seems to be a really good solution for what I'm dealing with. You guys are the best!

[@growformegardening]

I'm so glad this was at the right time! Being in a mid-cool zone sometimes I feel like our content might be behind schedule for a lot of viewers.

[@dianetemple4243]

@@growformegardening Actually, I’m in eastern Tennessee zone 7B but I can’t wait to get after my pruning on this particular shrub. It was beautiful when before I had to coppice it. I had even braided the bottom to make it into a standard.

[@growformegardening]

Woah! Braiding sounds fun for a trunk

[@Provysjourney]

Very informative video!! Thank you guys for sharing! I have a few dappled willows and want to try this technique with at least one of them! ❤

[@growformegardening]

Go for it! Knowing how resilient they are makes it a really fun project. You can be so creative with this

[@قناةطبخالمغربيالاصيل]

مسيرة موفقة🎍🎍🎍🎍🎍💔💔🎍🎍🫶🏻🫶🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻⚘️⚘️🍺🍺🍺🍣👋👋👋

[@growformegardening]

Thanks!

[@gwenvanbrunt3408]

Love your channel and how you guys work together so well it's very refreshing. I had a Suggestion on, I believe it your West side of your house. Where you plan on making a new flower bed. There is a gardener called roseanne's garden and she does a video on a narrow space On the side of her house. That might Give you some ideas. Good luck

[@growformegardening]

Thanks! I'll take a look.

[@BackyardFlorida]

What a beautiful property....lots of trees!

[@growformegardening]

Yes, thank you. It was very important to us to add lots of trees

[@rhondaschenk5727]

Great video! Thanks guys!!

[@growformegardening]

Our pleasure!

[@Debbiesbackyard]

This video was awesome, I had pruned up an unruly plant last year not knowing what I was doing but know I do. Thanks guys!

[@growformegardening]

Isn't pruning fun?

[@malindamiller845]

Excellent video! I have never heard of this technique. I'd love if you'd share a picture of the willow from the past summer. Now I really want a willow to try it out on!

[@growformegardening]

We looked and looked and couldn’t find a photo, but we definitely have a few videos from last summer. I would look at the late August tour.

[@AndréeMallet]

You guys are awesome, i like to watch your videos great job 👌

[@growformegardening]

Thank you so much 😀.

[@kaystinebrink1220]

Japanese Beetles love willows and birch in my 5b southern WI area.

[@growformegardening]

They were brutal on the pussy willow last year. It kept them occupied so our roses did very well.

[@PatriciaAnaya-si4xn]

This is so therapeutic 😊. Thank you

[@growformegardening]

Totally! Snip snip snip

[@techshiblu322]

Nice video sir

[@growformegardening]

Thanks

[@donovd3624]

I wish my Trader Joe’s sold Hellebores. Hope you don’t get too much snow today.

[@growformegardening]

We are getting zero snow!!! it’s all south of here

[@heatherk2693]

Interesting! I was not familiar with pollarding.

[@growformegardening]

It’s fun!

[@judyjohnson4117]

Hi guys! Never heard the name pollarding but you guys teach me something every time. I was thinking when Christoper was doing all that fast trimming that he was cutting like me when doing hair. I then heard you saying you had been cutting hair so I assume you’re a hairdresser too? Hellebores on my list at Trader Joe’s tomorrow if they have them. Can’t wait to see your new bench.

[@growformegardening]

Yup! Haha. I am trying to work on slowing down.

[@heathersgardenpeace]

Thank you! We have one dappled willow that needs a little adjustment. Thank you for showing this fun option.

[@heathersgardenpeace]

The way you explain is really helpful. I look forward to taking after some of ours. We have a few dappled willows and several pussy willows. ❤ them all so much!

[@casandradickinson8518]

Good morning guys, excellent job pollarding your willows, the Brits are great gardening teachers, Bunny Guinness is very talented, I have seen a lot of her work. Thanks again for showing your detailed and fearless pruning, great lesson, have a wonderful week.

[@growformegardening]

You are so welcome!

[@growformegardening]

I hope you are able to be creative and have some fun with it

[@growformegardening]

I love watching Bunny!!!!! Whenever we get back to England I would love to try and meet her.

[@juanramos.jr.7948]

Love the video. Great job at pruning. ❤❤❤❤😊

[@growformegardening]

Thanks! I've been waiting on this for awhile

[@alw5101]

I’d love to watch your creative side come out and create a wreath with the leftover twigs… please think about it

[@growformegardening]

It’s something we might do next year.

[@listener62]

I just bought hellebores at Trader Joe’s after I watched your video. Wow, they were really good price! When should I put them in ground? I live in zone 5b or 6. I love your enthusiasm of gardening and can’t wait to see what you are planning next!

[@growformegardening]

We put ours in the garage until the last frost. They might look kinda crappy but as long as you give them a little water now and then they will be fine!

[@listener62]

@@growformegardening oh my gosh, thank you so much for your quick reply! I will take up your advice. Thank you again!

[@growformegardening]

Of course!! One of our hellebores has really gotten big. I can't wait to see how many flowers come out

[@kellleyL23]

Love Tuesday mornings knowing I’ll be “hanging out” with you guys! I keep going back-and-forth on whether I want a dappled willow. Just seems like so much work. Would a hedger be 100% wrong to use to speed up some of the the pruning?

[@growformegardening]

Honestly I don't think it would be a problem. Willows are really easy to work on.

[@MAA-dt1yo]

Do you make anything with the willow branch clippings? Could you create trellises with them?

[@growformegardening]

You could definitely do a lot with the branches.

[@kimbullett3293]

Super helpful! Gonna go purchase a willow now 😊. Curious how old those two are?.. and whether you should wait until they’re older to prune them? Or maybe it doesn’t matter…

[@growformegardening]

The first one is probably four or five years in the ground. I think it's worth waiting until you have some sizable branches to work with.

[@mypreciousgarden]

Hi Eric & christopher ! Nice work but I have a question for Christopher: is there a specific reason for you to leave small part of the branch you prune (on the first willow) ? Do willows need that to make new growth at the tips of the branches ?

[@growformegardening]

Well, I wouldn’t say I leave it on purpose. I will watch closely when the new growth comes to see if anything comes from those nubs.

[@smilygirlhappy23]

Can you use a similar technique on Japanese maple to size control? I love Japanese maples, but I don’t have space for a bunch of 20ft trees

[@growformegardening]

That’s a good question. I would check with someone from Iseli nursery. They have amazing plants

[@OnceUponaNJGarden]

Thanks for the video. I also have a dappled willow. It’s s standard with the lollipop shape on top. Do you think I can still pollard it since it only has one trunk?

[@growformegardening]

Absolutely!

[@michellefrance1165]

Perfect timing again!! I have two new dappled willows but new to my garden late just this past summer, would you recommend doing this or waiting until Spring or next Winter?

[@growformegardening]

It really depends on whether there are some stems strong enough to start turning in to "trunks". I think our willows were both in the ground two or three years before I took after them

[@michellefrance1165]

@growformegardening thank you, that's what I was thinking too great video!

[@jennetteojeda5792]

💙👍🏻💙

[@growformegardening]

🌳

[@Gardeninggirl4316]

I saw your garden on a video that I cannot find anywhere! You had a beautiful, pinkish. panicle hydrangea that was in the corner of one of your beds and was obviously a show stopping specimen. I want to buy one, but can’t find the name. Any help you can offer would be much appreciated.

[@growformegardening]

hmmmm. At the front of our property we have a Vanilla Strawberry that gets a deep pink. We also have Pinky Winky that gets a stunning color.

[@Gardeninggirl4316]

@@growformegardening yeah! I guessed it was the vanilla strawberry! That’s what I ordered. Your garden is breathtakingly beautiful and inspiring! Thank you!

[@sandrabradbury4962]

What is the difference between pollarding and bonsai? They look the same to me. Still very nice looking though.

[@growformegardening]

That’s a very good question. I’m going to do a little research on that

[@tammydeschenes4857]

Pollarding? I never heard of the term but realising this is what I’ve been doing with my tiger eye sumac. 😁Happy to learn something new once again. But aren’t you concerned about having the willow so close to your foundation? I’ve read willow roots can be a real problem and cause damage. A friend of mine just pulled one out from her yard this past summer and the roots on them were scary huge and long.😬

[@growformegardening]

It's a really cool way to shape right?! I'm not too worried about the willow...it is a bit further from the house than it looks. Also it is a wetter spot so the roots aren't going to have to go searching for water as far

[@gardeningwithjason]

Great video! I’m impressed by that black cat pussy willow and it gets me so excited to work on mine in a couple years! I just planted one this past fall! I also have a few dappled willows but I plan to keep shearing them in a hedge form and then hard pruning them to the ground if they want to get to out of control but who knows over the years they may call me to pollard them! My mother in law bought a dappled willow a few years ago and it was growing as a bush and she was upset because she thought it was supposed to grow as a single trunk tree. I told her that I would try and take care of that for her. So I dug it up and it was actually 3 or 4 cuttings planted in one pot so I split them all up and planted just one and have been cutting off all suckers and training it as a standard for her!

[@growformegardening]

The willows are bulletproof. It’s really awesome that you are building your own single trunk tree. Are you taking it to get the trunk straight? I’ve always aimed for the most interesting looking trunks so I’m curious how you get it upright?

[@gardeningwithjason]

@@growformegardening yeah I went and got one of them taller, thick I believe 8 foot tall tree stakes from Lowes (around $10). I’ve got it staked with that and it’s taking a pretty good tree form but very top heavy. Id say It’s currently about 6 ft tall including the ball of foliage on top. I need to cut that “ball” waaaay back this year to try and give it time to thicken the trunk.

[@growformegardening]

Sounds like you have the height…now you get to pollard! Haha

[@gardeningwithjason]

@@growformegardening yes yes yes!! 🙌 this nice February weather has me wanting to jump the gun but I know we still have a lot of winter left here in Ohio. 😂

[@growformegardening]

Same. We got ahead of ourselves but it confident they will be ok.

[@joanieclyde8812]

can this be done with other plants than Willows?

[@growformegardening]

Absolutely. Lots of large trees are handled this way.

[@Peoniesandpinks]

You’re going to janeys!?!?

[@growformegardening]

I can not confirm or deny. ✈️

[@peggy-ann1961]

@@growformegardening🤣

[@judyrhine234]

Are you going to visit Jannie?

[@growformegardening]

I can not confirm or deny. ✈️

[@claytoncomeaux414]

Gotta break a few eggs, if your gonna make a Cake!

[@growformegardening]

Haha yes

[@lindatogliatti6463]

Did you change the name of your KZbin posts? I thought it used to be to be “Grow with me 5b”?

[@naturegirl7777]

@lindatogliatti6463 ...back in November 2023, the USDA Zone Map got the 10-year reevaluation. Everyone (mostly) got bumped up a half zone, so they're now zone 6a -- thus, changing their name. Some folks across the country fell back a half zone, declaring them colder than previously. 👩🏼‍🌾💚 =^..^=

[@growformegardening]

Yup! We actually changed it at the beginning of the year. There were a few reasons but mainly we wanted our channel to be more universal and not so specific to one growing zone.

[@lindatogliatti6463]

@@growformegardening I really enjoyed learning about Pollarding today. I live in northern Illinois and our weather is crazy this February. Highs of 55, lows of high 20’s. Poor plants and animals, so confused!

[@growformegardening]

We are about a mile from the line. We always pushed our zone “limits” as an experiment anyways. Our little microclimate is interesting, we have a strong wind from the west.

[@growformegardening]

I think we are all confused!!! We were supposed to have a big snow storm today but it has pushed to the south and we may not even seen a flurry.

[@epidemicsound]

🎶 track? It’s *Unfading* by *North Sphere* - and yes we are THRILLED to be your trusted provider. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nmKtaIF4q6eajtk // Epidemic Sound

[@growformegardening]

Yes! We really enjoy the selection on your website. Sometimes I just browse around to listen to cool stuff.