When to prune new weeping willow

Discussion in 'Woody Plants' started by Eline Zoe, Aug 3, 2005.

  1. Eline Zoe

    Eline Zoe Member

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    My 2 year old willow is growing mostly to one side, when should I prune the largest branch?
     
  2. petejacobsen

    petejacobsen Member

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    Is there anything that is causing it to grow asymetrically? Is it crowded/shaded on one side? Before trimming, try to figure out what is happening to it.
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Pruning probably won't help. You may not need to do anything: it's a willow, not a columnar arborvitae. Popular goldtwig weeping willow is a fast-growing, large tree, young specimens are open and asymmetric, as young trees often are.
     
  4. Eline Zoe

    Eline Zoe Member

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    Thank you, but if I don't prune it will it grow leaning to that side? I have it fastened to a large stake.
     
  5. Carol Ja

    Carol Ja Active Member 10 Years

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    You can prune most types of willows, including weeping willows, from Autumn to early spring. Remove dead wood in summer. Don't prune the leader. Young plants form a strong leader with smaller horizontals, try to train the leader as a standard. As it grows the leader will start to dissappear and the crown will broaden. Then the next season you'll see the new leader show up (a single whippy shoot that rises above the others) then the whole process repeats. Just work on training the leader to where you want it. (A great and handy book is the Cavendish Encyclopedia of Pruning and Training.)
    Good luck.
    Carol Ja
     
  6. pougie@earthlink.net

    pougie@earthlink.net New Member

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    I have a weeping willow that has been getting lots of rain late in summer i put a lime and salt white wash on it and it seemed to help but this fall it has come back all the leaves got brown spots and i butchered the tree and re whitewashed it and its growing good again what am i doing wrong is there something i can put on tree in the way of fertilizer that will stop this
     

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