SMALL KILLMARNOCK WILLOW

Hello, I have a 5 year old Killmarnock Willow, about 4ft tall, last spring it started to bud as normal but suddenly stopped, I have left it over the summer period treating it to feed etc but has not stirred at all, the ends of the branches have turned brown and brittle, can anyone advise me as I think it may have died.

Hi Mel, My daughter was bought one for her birthday and it was grafted onto the bit where it 'weeps' at the top. could yours be the same and the graft has failed. Have you scraped the bark lower down to see if that is still alive?

Hi Pam, Thanks for your advice, no! I havent scraped the bark lower down as you have suggested but have scraped the branches and found that they are brittle and dry right through the branches, I will do as you suggest and scrape the lower bark lower down, thankyou for your interest and advice.

As pottiepam says' the graft may have failed.

My grafted Kilmarnock Willow, grown in a pot for years, is like a bonsai and  hasn't grown more than a couple of inches above the graft, it's possibly about 12 to 18inches high and didn't start to produce buds until I stopped pruning it two yrs ago.

If it's in a pot you could also try lifting it out and checking if the roots are healthy.   

Hi Zoomer, thanks for the tip, my willow is in the ground, I am sure it has died but very reluctant to dispose of it yet until I am certain, wheres Monty when you need him, thanks anyway.