Removing living willow structures

Posts

• Dovefromabove Posts: 88,147

  January 2018

  johunter says:

  Hi all, just moved to a new house with some existing willow structures in the garden where I would like some beds. The plants are a few years old, some are dead amd some whips were easy to pull out. What’s the best way of tackling the rest? Cutting down then digging up the roots?

   Yes ... that's how I'd tackle it. Good luck with the new garden ... let us know how you get on  

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

  0
• nutcutlet Posts: 27,445

  January 2018

  i wouldn't cut down too short to start with, leave something to get hold of and push back and forth to loosen the roots

  Last edited: 10 January 2018 13:30:18

  
  
  In the sticks near Peterborough

  0
• Obelixx Posts: 30,090

  January 2018

  Good advice to leave something to get hold of.  The other thing I would say is, if you plan to chip the wood, leave it to dry out before and after cutting as the pieces will root very easily.

  We took fresh chippings from some council workers pollarding neglected willows in the paddock next door to our previous house and I left them in a pile for a month before putting them on beds as mulch and I still got baby willows trying to grow.

  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
  

  0
• treehugger80 Posts: 1,923

  January 2018

  they look quite young, hopefully the roots won't be too substantial, dig them out is your best bet, leave a good 1m of stem so you can use it as a lever.

  0
• Wayside Posts: 845

  January 2018

  Perhaps make willow water with your spoils.

  0