I learned early in life how useful a willow tree is to a farmer. At home, my foster parents grew a large grape vineyard.
Mother tore up hundreds of soft cotton rags to be used in tying up the pruned grape vines to the wires. That was work on Saturdays for all the children.
It happened that a neighbor farmer, “a distinguished gentleman from old Kentucky, suh!” wanted me to help him tie up his grape vines in as much as I was experienced. I did so gladly because it meant some spending money for me.
Tying The Grapes
The very first day, he told me. “Frank, I want you to tie my grapes like we did down in Kentucky.”
He led me to a nearby brook where a large yellow willow tree grew, took out his pocket knife, and cut off a lot of small, short twigs. They were about 8” inches in length.
Then back we went to the vineyard, where he taught me how to twist those soft twigs tight around the grape cane and the wire and give it a final tuck to lock it in place.
It held the cane much better than any twine or cotton rag. In Kentucky, he said, the farmers even tied new fence rails together with willow twigs to hold the rails firmly in place.
But this article will be about how useful ornamental willows can be to the Midwest homeowner when used in a landscaping program. And I shall mention a few of their other uses.
Willow: Old-Time Tree
Willow is their only common name. They are from the “Salix” genus, related to the soft wooded poplars.
They are old-time trees growing along the banks of the Euphrates in parts of Asia and Palestine.
The captive Israelites hung their harps, no doubt, on the weeping willows which grew so abundantly in Babylon.
Those were the “Salix Babylonica” popular today in landscaping ponds, lagoons, and brooks.
Fast Growing
Willows grow very rapidly. The common white willows are those found along most rivers throughout the Midwest.
They are quite useful, being used by the U. S. Government Engineers in river control work to keep river banks from washing away during floods. They are grown quickly from cuttings and branches.
I well remember one time when I bought a lawn settee and two chairs made of white willow branches from a family of woodworkers camped on the Kaw River near my home.
It was in early spring, and after the set was placed on our lawn, we had almost a month of rainy weather.
I had forgotten all about the lawn set for a few weeks. You can guess how surprised I was to find that our lawn furniture had taken root where it sat on the soft earth!
It even had green sprouts growing out all over it! That is ample proof that willows do root easily and quickly.
Solved The Landscape Problems
I think willows look beautiful if they are planted in the proper places.
One or two planted at either or both ends of a pond, or the water’s edge of a brook or lagoon, will have a cool, relaxing effect, especially if they are weeping willows.
It solves the landscape problem of placing trees along the water where other kinds would die. Never plant willows in rows of a dozen or so.
You would certainly spoil the desired effect. Just one or two is enough. And if two are planted, be sure to put them quite a distance apart to allow each one to attain its best natural growth without crowding.
Hazard to Drains
Another mistake you should never make as it would cause you much trouble.
If you plan to plant any kind of willow tree near a tile drain or a septic tank drain pipe so it will get plenty of moisture, DON’T DO IT! Oh yes, the willow would grow and look fine, but what trouble would the roots cause?
Unless the tile joints were sealed or screwed together, the roots would seek that tile and cram it full.
They would stop the tile from draining at all. This warning applies to willow roots or any other tree of the Poplar family.
Uses Of Willow
The Indians used the inner bark of the willow for their fish nets. Today, you can buy all types of baskets for cut flowers, clothes, and even wicker furniture made of willows.
In Europe today, they make wooden shoes, artificial limbs, and even carriage bodies out of willows.
Willow wood makes the finest charcoal used in gunpowder. In New York State, willows are grown and cultivated, especially for basket weavers.
Growing Pussy Willow
The Indians used the inner bark of the willow for their fish nets. Today, you can buy all types of baskets for cut flowers, clothes, and even wicker furniture made of willows.
In Europe today, they make wooden shoes, artificial limbs, and even carriage bodies out of willows.
Willow wood makes the finest charcoal used in gunpowder. In New York state, willows are grown and cultivated, especially for basket weavers.
Blooming of Buds
The buds come out early, even late February or early March, if some spring-like weather comes at that time.
You can force them to bloom earlier than that by cutting off twigs 2’ or 3’ feet in length, placing them in a jar or deep bucket of water, and keeping them in a warm room until the catkins come out, all fuzzy-like frightened Halloween kitty.
I got a start of pussy willow at no cost and with no special effort on my part. It was quite accidental.
I have presented a nice basket of flowers as a birthday gift. The florist had placed six nice twigs of pussy willows in the bouquet.
After the other flowers faded, the pussy willows still looked nice, so I placed them in a deep jar of water and kept them in bloom in a warm room.
Three weeks later, when I started to throw them away, I found all the lower parts had a lot of long roots on them.
I am not Scotch, but I certainly didn’t throw them away. Instead, I planted them in April outdoors and grew some lovely trees for many years.
44659 by Frank Payne