Young Dappled Willow.

[Kittyluvr400]

I added 6 dappled willows to a 90 ft flower bed. I know I will have to prune them or they will crowd the bed. So, first question...I am reading that a good time to prune would be after the leaves drop in the fall. I am on Long Island. Just looking for someone to agree here. LOL. It is a lead in to a more important question...propagating them. I would like to grow a barrier (fence too expensive right now) around two sides of my yard. I am reading on how to propagate them and it seems easy enough, but I am unable to find certain answers. It is June now, and I need to do some trimming. I am wondering if it is ok to cut some branches now, let them root (in a week or so) and put them in the ground now, and not wait til late fall/early winter. Is June a bad time of year to do it? We have too many nor'easters in my area and I am afraid the stems will not survive the winter's wind during blizzards. So, my question has several parts. Can I start propagating now, in early June? Is it best to let them root in a bucket of water and then to a pot, and then plant them in late summer/early fall, waaaaay before the ground freezes. Is it necessary to till the soil and soften it up, or do I just make 6 inch holes in the ground, as is, and just let nature take over? If it is best in the late fall, I will do it that way. Thanks for any help.

[KeyWee]

Dappled (or nashiki) is one of my all-time favorite plants. You can't do too much wrong. I have some rooting in a bucket right now. Like you mentioned, takes a couple of weeks. They are expensive to buy, but so cheap (free) to start your own. I have three now (from the original plant) and have given many many cuttings out to others. My original willow has never been cut back and is 12' tall and 20' wide ~ it is gorgeous (will post picture when I have time). My original plant never seems to mind when or where I cut it, but keep in mind that these are willows, and they thrive best in a wet area. Our soil is pretty clay-like, but that doesn't seem to bother it at all, so not sure if aggressive tilling is necessary.
Welcome to the forum!

[Kittyluvr400]

Thanks so much! I have ten cuttings in a bucket of water and am hopeful to get good results. I am thinking once they root I will plant them in the areas and keep it wet with intense daily watering. I will drop a tomato cage around each one for safety from a hired fall clean up later on, for fear the landscaper will rake the cuttings out of the ground. I would love to see spring growth in 2017. I am also going to put down a good wet layer of newspaper to get the beds outlined and kill the weeds along the paths.

[Kittyluvr400]

I have a question. I planted one of my best cutting in a large pot. Everyone keeps saying water, water, water. I am practically flooding this pot twice a day. I need to know if I am watering too much, or the rooted cutting could use all it can get. I have it in what looks like a 4 gallon pot, give or take. The dirt is about 2 inches from the top of the pot with the Willow cutting about 4-6 inches in the soil. I water til it hits the top of the pot, see how fast it goes down and I have been doing that 4 times, filling and letting it drink. I do this twice a day. Should I keep it that wet or am I overdoing it? I figure it sprouted roots by being in a bucket of water, so in my mind, I want to keep it very wet so the roots keep growing. But I don't want to go too far either. I would guess this cutting is getting a gallon of water a day, split into twice a day. Somebody give me a little advice. Thanks!