Tutorial with instructions and pictures

The best time is in February

The month has passed in the private garden February crystallizes out as the ideal time for that Pruning care on willows. For the gardener, the appointment scores with a good overview of the structure and arrangement of the shoots, because at the end of winter they still have no leaves. The trees themselves are in the transition from the winter sap dormancy to the beginning of budding, so that pruning measures have a gentle effect. Last but not least, a late winter cutting date complies with the protection of nature and the regulations in the Federal Nature Conservation Act.

Choose a day with cloudy skies and dry weather. The temperatures should be in the frost-free area. As a lower tolerance limit - 5 degrees Celsius has proven itself in practice.

Cut ornamental willow annually

Ornamental willows flirt with elegantly hanging branches or shine in colorful foliage. The charm of kitten pasture, harlequin pasture or Corkscrew willow hobby gardeners have long since succumbed. So that the decorative willow varieties present themselves from their most beautiful side every year, pruning plays a key role. How to masterfully cut an ornamental willow:

• Thoroughly thin out the bush or crown
• Cut off dead wood, weak, inward-facing or crossing shoots at the base
• Cut back the remaining branches by a third, half or two thirds
• Pay attention to the incision on the buds, 2-3 mm above one eye
• Over-long shoots ideally lead to a lower, lateral young shoot

The good-natured pruning tolerance of a willow allows a wide margin of discretion. If you cut the crown of a harlequin willow by up to two thirds, promote the blaze of color. Ornamental willow 'Hakuro Nishiki' has the most beautiful green-white-pink-colored leaves on this year's shoots. One Corkscrew willow should at least be exposed for light-flooded growth. Over-long shoots are only cut back if they disturb the overall picture or if they become brittle in advanced age.

Cut harlequin willow twice a year

A summery, caring cut brings new momentum to the colorful dress of leaves Harlequin Willow. Over time, the fresh leaves turn green and lose their radiance. When the willow between End of June and mid-July Taking a short break from growth is the best time for you moderate cut. If you shorten the branches of the crown or shrub in the area of ​​this year's growth, brightly colored leaves will sprout again.

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Moderate summer pruning is allowed

Cut polluted willow - that's how it works

In order for a pollarded willow to retain its authentic habit, you should prune the tree every year. In this way, you will motivate the willow to continuously produce thin, flexible shoots without the crown becoming too heavy. Regular cutting also has the advantage that there are no large cuts. How to do it right:

• The best time is in winter from November to the end of February
• Cut off any branches that grow out of the head
• Don't leave long stumps
• Remove shoots from the trunk all year round and promptly

To cut a pollarded willow you need a two-handedLoppers with telescopic arms as well as a Folding saw.(€ 17.68 at Amazon *) You can manage shoots up to a maximum of 3 centimeters in diameter with pruning shears, which ideally have a power-amplifying ratchet gear as well Bypass mechanism disposes. You can master thicker branches with one Japanese saw.

Digression

Wound closures are taboo

Seldom cut weeping willow

A characteristic of weeping willows is a growth with picturesque drooping shoots. Some of the branches grow upright, but rarely far beyond the grafting point. Over the years, an imposing, sweeping crown develops. A weeping willow naturally develops its magnificent appearance. In contrast to their diverse conspecifics, a cut is rarely on the maintenance plan. Too dense growth with balding shoots is the most common reason for the following pruning:

• Cut weeping willow every 6 to 8 years
• The best time is between November and February in mild, dry weather
• At the beginning, thinning out dead, bare branches Astring
• Cut heavily drooping shoots back to a flat side shoot
• Avoid large cuts larger than 3 cm in diameter

The figure below illustrates the cut as a combination of shape and Clearance cut. It is important to note that you do not cut into the finishing point. This is located in the transition from the trunk to the hanging crown. The elegant, natural growth is retained if you do not just cut off branches that are too long or heavily ramified, but selectively derive on a young runner.

You clear a weeping willow every 6 to 8 years. Take this opportunity to slim down massively branched branches with one Derivative cut.

frequently asked Questions

How do I prune a three-year-old corkscrew willow so that it grows as a dense shrub with a privacy screen?

To begin with, cut the existing shrub back to about 60 centimeters above the ground in late winter. The corkscrew willow then sprouts vigorously. If the new shoots have reached a length of 25 centimeters in summer, trim them by 5 centimeters. At the end of the following winter, prune the previous year's growth by 5 to 10 centimeters. Continue like this until the corkscrew willow has reached the desired height.

This spring we planted a kitten willow that had pretty flowers. Now in June, small shoots have formed on the trunk and directly from the ground. What to do? Can I still cut the ornamental willow now?

If shoots grow on tall willow trunks below the crown, they are wildlings. These must be cut cleanly at the trunk. You tear off wild shoots from the ground with a courageous jerk. At the end of June, all willows stop growing for a short time. At this stage, a slight pruning is possible until around mid-July, provided it is done in overcast and not too hot weather and is limited to this year's growth.

Which types of willow are suitable for cultivation as pollard willow?

Traditionally, the basket willow (Salix viminalis) is grown as pollard willow. The original aim of this special form of training was to harvest long rods for basket weaving. Therefore wicker is also known as wicker and hemp willow. Silver willow (Salix alba) and purple willow (Salix purpurea) are also possible.

Can I use the clippings from a willow tree for propagation?

The striking vigor of a willow makes propagation with cuttings a successful pleasure. You can use the clippings for this purpose if they are half-woody, finger-thick shoots with a length of 20 to 30 cm. Put a shoot two-thirds into the ground so that only a few eyes peek out. In the partially shaded, protected location, please ensure that the soil is constantly slightly moist so that the rooting progresses quickly.

Our weeping willow is 2 years old and 5 meters high. The tree has settled in well. However, side shoots grow in clusters in the lower trunk area. What to do?

You can and should remove the shoots. They are wildlings who strive to overgrow the beautiful noble cascade crown. Furthermore, the uninvited shoots deprive the tree of valuable nutrients. Cut off each wildling just before the trunk bark. You do not have to deal with the interfaces any further, because they close by themselves.

The 3 most common mistakes

Cutting in frost affects a willow just as massively as the complete renouncement of pruning. Even though Salix species forgive most of the mistakes and iron them out on their own, you should be familiar with the most fatal errors. The three most common mistakes with scissors and saws are listed in the following table and tips for prevention:

Tips

Transplanting a willow is closely related to pruning. Every change of location means the loss of root mass. The resulting imbalance between subsurface and aboveground growth pushes every wood to its limits. By shortening all of the shoots by a third or half, you restore balance. Incidentally, this premise does not apply to willows in the bucketthat are repotted.