Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
A: The easiest way to dry your pussy willow branches while maintaining the small, newly-opened catkins is to display them. Cut your branches right after the catkins have opened and place them into a dry vase, or bundle them as shown above. Allow them to dry out while on display! Powdery mildew is a less-damaging problem and is treatable. You can use neem oil or copper fungicides to eliminate this issue as well. Pussy willows are a resilient plant, even in growing environments which seem hostile. That said, there are still a few things to watch out for when growing these plants. Whether you’re encouraging shrubby, low growth or trying to develop a tree, here are a few issues you might encounter. Growing Problems Trying to grow longer stalks requires more nitrogen to spur plant growth. If you’re trying to grow long stalks to harvest, you should add some extra nitrogen in the fall to encourage early development. You can treatleaf spot with the use of copper fungicidal agents. This is typically caused by anthracnose fungi, and is related to leaf blight.
The Chinese use pussy willows as a decoration during part of the lunar new year. It’s believed to bring prosperity for the coming year. It’s also a popular Easter decoration.Be sure you plant them far away from septic tanks, sewer lines, and water lines. Their roots grow very deep and will bore through pipe walls! They love to grow along creek lines, rivers, and riparian areas. Humidity is great for pussy willow trees. Soil Aphids and scale insects can be problematic for pussy willow. Both can be eliminated by regular applications of neem oil on the leaves and branches. Pyrethrin sprays can also be effective.
At the tail end of winter, fuzzy nubs start to appear along the branches of pussy willows. These soft silver tufts—as well as the plant itself—are named for their resemblance to tiny cats’ paws, and they feel so much like fur that young children often wonder if they are animals instead of plants. What are those little nubs? Are they seeds? Fruits? And why are they fuzzy? If you want long, straight stalks for use in floral arrangements, choose coppice pruning. In this style of pruning, you take the entire plant off at 6-12″ off the ground, leaving just the trunk in place. The Salix species that comprise pussy willows prefer wet soil. They can easily handle boggy conditions. If the soil is too well-draining, their growth will be stunted. Further, they will help balance the wetter environment by drinking up the water and storing it for later use. They can be drought-tolerant for short periods of time. Let’s dive into the history of this willow-tree relative. In this article, you’ll discover everything you need to know to grow your own pussywillow in your yard!
Special Series
Most cut pussy willow stems are in a sort of time warp—dried at their peak fuzziness, and never allowed to fully flower. But if you keep fresh-cut pussy willows hydrated, you can see the whole flowering cycle and even the leafing-out process. Buy a healthy-looking bunch (look for flexible, greenish stems that don’t feel brittle or look shriveled), and place in a vase near a window, changing the water daily. You can add a little flower food if you have some. If you’re repotting cuttings that you have rooted into a pot, double the size of your pot with each repotting. Try to separate the root mass when you repot. If they have become rootbound, this may be difficult to do, but it’s necessary for the health of the plant. White Willow are rods that have been stripped of their bark just as the sap rises and fresh leaves start to appear, they are then left to dry out in the sunshine. In parts of the northeastern United States, they grow along river banks or in areas with standing water…sandy soil or not. To keep your soil moist, spread 2-4″ of mulch around your pussy willow. Fertilizer
Pussy willow, glaucous willow, goat willow, great sallow, grey willow, large grey willow, grey sallow With it's flexibility and versatility dried willow is an excellent craft resource. We sell sorted bundles containing 300 rods which are prefect for small projects and include instructions for a selection of projects. As new shoots form, they will become long, straight stalks. You can train them to form a living arch by adding rigid wire or framing. Or, you can harvest them for flower arrangements! You can either wait for roots to develop or plant straight in the soil. If you wish to develop roots, place your cutting into a container of water. Change the water every few days. It can take a couple weeks for roots to begin to form. The male flowers are also a deep yellow due to pollen distribution. Female blossoms are greenish-grey in hue. They mature to produce seeds that get carried away by the wind.There are a bunch of diseases that can cause major damage to your pussy willows. Here’s a short list, along with some ways to treat them.In bacterial twig blight, darker stripes along the branches can be seen, and it can cause cankers on branches and the trunk.
The most complicated part of caring for this gorgeous plant is ensuring that there’s plenty of water, as they’re water-loving plants. But let’s go over the most important aspects to ensure you get a lush and healthy plant! Light and Temperature The common name of these plants may have originated in an old folk tale. The story goes that kittens playing along a riverbank fell in, and the willow trees reached into the water to save them. Thus, the development of pussy willow trees. Once this has been done all sorts of baskets or sculptures can be made and it's flexibility and versatility make it and excellent craft resource Before we get into the more typical pests, I feel it’s important to note that these plants are an important dietary component for a whole host of wildlife. Deer eat the leaves and branches. Squirrels eat the leaves. Some varieties of muskrat and beaver also consume leaves and branches of this shrublike plant. It’s not likely to be a problem in urban areas, but if you’re in a rural area, it’s good to know! Pussy willows thrive in temperatures between 60° and 65° F (16° to 18° C), and can easily withstand temperatures down to 35° F (2° C). High temperatures are no problem for established trees. Water and HumidityPussy willows produce prodigious amounts of nectar and pollen. This nectar and pollen supports local populations of beneficial insects and other wildlife. In some areas, as much as ten percent of the beneficial insect population lives on the produce of this plant! The greatest willow growing area in Great Britain is in the Somerset Levels in Taunton. Every year during the winter and early spring, before the willow starts breaking into leaf, they are cut to ground level and the long, straight rods are harvested and left to dry for basketmaking. Buff Willow are rods that have been boiled in tanks for 8 to 10 hours and then stripped of their bark - the tannin in the bark turns the rods a copper colour.
Great Deal 
New Comment