| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Cathryn |
Willows and hedgingDidn't know what to call this but our fields are surrounded by very ancient willow trees - they might once have been hedges and they still provide a good shelter from the winds. They need "sorting" though. They are gnarled and split and very large branches have come down this winter onto the sheepwire fencing. Could we just take a chainsaw along at the level of the fence - I mean are they ever too old to rejuvenate? |
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| sean |
Dunno. Willow's pretty tough though, and you'd be playing with a chainsaw, it's got to be worth a go. | ||
| Cathryn |
You're joking - me and a chainsaw  It's just a short hop from the smallholders show 
I think it's worth a go as well. And Lidl are selling chainsaws in about a weeks time but I think I'll give them a miss and get someone in. |
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| cab |
Ruby, depending on the state of them you'll probably be fine; any chance of some pics of them? Might be possible that someone will give you some more specific advice after a look. | ||
| BahamaMama |
You could always take some cuttings and stick them in the ground - (they are practically guaranteed to take root), to fill any gaps and provide an insurance policy in case the originals do not appreciate the chainsaw treatment. | ||
| dpack |
treat em rough ,plant lots of offcuts | ||
| Nanny |
when in doubt, chop it out
you can't kill willow....you can make a dent in it's armour but i don't think you can actually kill it at least that is what the guy told me when i bought my willow rods there a week or so ago to do my fedge..... |
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| Lloyd |
Everything you cut off can be stuffed brutishly back in the ground without further ado and is guaranteed to succeed. Talk about urban renewal!!...............Even if th eold ones were to die, which they won't , you have a reinforcing line of new hedge up against it. | ||
| Cathryn |
Yep it's worth a try and I will stick back all the other odd branches as well which are mainly hazel and blackthorn and elder - does elder root easily? Actually, not the blackthorn it's a bit of a menace. | ||
| Lloyd |
Elder is a weed so roots easily, but if in doubt, cut a long slanting heel and dip in rooting hormone to ensure success. 
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| VSS |
If you chop the tops off, efectively pollarding them, you will get loads of nice straight whippy growth that you can harvest for basketry, making lobster pots etc.
www.viableselfsufficiency.co.uk |
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| Nick |
We've just savaged a willow tree. Taken the top 40 foot off, or so. It's already coming back with shoots. They are indestructible. | ||
| oldangrey |
I have set 350 willow sticks this year, well there was a small corner in one of the paddocks, so i thought why not, I was talking to a local hedge layer and he reckoned it was getting harder to find hazel for binders, and he had been using willow for some years, so there might be a market ? we will see.
The collection and setting took overall about an hour and a half, the cost? Nothing, just 1.5 hours of my time, now for that i would trade 1 chicken, or a bale of good straw, perhaps 1/2 hour of a computer ace's time, don't you love trading. In the small holder aimed magazines i have seen willow sticks for sale at huge prices, Not for me! good luck the the sellers, but the buyers are just being lazy 
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| bodger |
There are umpteen different species of willows that are quite often local to certain areas. We stuck at least three varieties of wands into the ground about five or six years ago and now have some super tree coming through.
A word of warning to would be planters though. You have to be very careful as to where you plant them They have what can only be described as thirsty roots and planted in the wrong place they can cause structural damage. |
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| Marionb |
One of our hedges was pleached down about 4 years ago. At the bottom end, the hedge was overshadowed by a huge horse chestnut (I think  ) tree, which resulted in that part of the hedge dying off completely. Since then nothing has grown there, its just a dead bit of hedge, even though the tree has had its lower brances removed to allow more light onto the hedge.
Would it be any good trying willow there? Would they grow in partial shade and be ok to pleach down if it did grow? |
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| cab |
Willow wouldn't be my first choice for a spot like that, Marionb. | ||
| Marionb |
Thats fine - I just wondered as it seemed that if it got established we wouldnt need to worry about it dying off
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