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Willow Trees

Cat 3Cat 3 Posts: 107
Hi: I am about to buy 2 tortured willows about 15 ft high. They have been at the garden centre for about 7 weeks (just wrapped in hessian). My Gardner has let me down and did not plant them, but said he would do so next week. Question, should I stick with the trees or source other willows?
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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    If they've just got hessian round bare roots and have been like that for 7 weeks already I'd leave them at the GC.

    Tortuous is the word but tortured describes them wellimage

    Have you got plenty of space? They're potentially big trees.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    I know it as the Corkscrew willow - they grow around 10m tall and they don't take that long about it either.   Big trees for a garden.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    If you want the corkscrew affect then you will need to cut back the stems/trunks as they straighten with age. That way the Willow will never get taller than 1-2 metres.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    But the original poster is talking about buying trees that are already 15ft tall - would you coppice them?


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,064

    I wouldn't buy any tree already that tall.  Smaller ones are cheaper and easier to plant and get established far more quickly so catch up within a couple of seasons.

     

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    In my experience a willow wand or withy will catch up with a 15' tree in a very few years .


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    I think she meant 1.5 metres as 15ft is 4.5 metres and I have yet to see a garden centre supply anything that tall as it will be as tall or taller than the walls and would weigh over a ton.

    I would wait 1 year for the roots to settle then cut a 1/4 of the stems each year to keep the curls.

  • Cat 3Cat 3 Posts: 107
    I was told by the Garden Centre the trees are 15 ft tall. They are lying down at the side of the Garden Centre at the back. He said that I would need to dig a meter wide hole for them.



    I too think they are too big - I don't thing my Gardner is capable of getting the trees off the trailer, they the have to get it through my garden gate down to the back of the garden. I think it would take about 5 men.



    I am also worried that once it is dug in, it will be unstable. It is windy where I live and boggy (hence the willows), and they may fall??



    I don't want to pay for something that is just not going to work.



    However, the Garden Centre have now said that they will not be able to get me alternative trees - because the grower may think it is to warm to move them as they are coming into bud?



    What do you all think?
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    I'd leave them and think about it. Visualize them in your garden. If you have room and like the idea get something smaller. You can plant any time if you get container grown plants.

    Have you seen them growing in gardens? interesting, useful for dried arrangements, but I don't find them attractive.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Cat 3Cat 3 Posts: 107

    Its a case of having to buy them because my garden is so wet.  I have been told they will help dry it out.  That is why I am going for 2.  Originally it was 3.

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