Willow/Poplar Cutting Growing Guide

Unrooted Willow/Poplar Cutting Instructions (9” Cuttings)

Thank you for your purchase of unrooted cuttings!

The cuttings are shipped in a plastic bag with a little additional water inside a bubble wrap mailer. If you are not planting or sprouting immediately, you can store them in the fridge in a crisper drawer for a few weeks without issue.

Which end is up?

The side that should face down is cut at an angle, to help you insert it into the soil.

It’s important that the cuttings are facing the right way when you plant or propagate them, or they will not grow.

If you are sprouting indoors:

Simply put the cuttings in an appropriately sized container of water (like a glass or a bottle) or propagation station. If possible, use unchlorinated water, or if you have chlorinated water, let it sit out for 24 hours for the chlorine to dissipate.

The top of the cutting should be out in the air. You can change the water if it starts to get some algal growth, but do not let the cutting dry out!

Within a week, 2 at most, you should start to see roots forming and the buds swelling for willow. Poplars may take 3-4 weeks to sprout roots.

If you intend to eventually plant them out, once the roots start to form, you should transfer them either into a pot or into the ground. With either method, water very deeply and mulch very thoroughly until they get established. Keep the grass 1’ away from the stem on all sides until they establish.

If you are planting outside during the growing season:

For best results, establish the place you’d like to plant them by removing the grass 1’ back and digging a hole about 1’ deep.

Fill the hole with water 3 times and let it settle out. Then backfill the hole with the soil and soak it again.

Finally place your cutting in the hole so 1 or 2 buds is above the surface and the remainder is below ground.

Keep well watered and mulched the first few months.

Depending on the weather, the buds should swell and start pushing growth in a week or two.

Protection:

You will need to protect these plants from critters (rabbits, groundhogs, deer, etc.) until they grow up and out of browse height. It’s best to keep the bottom 1’ of the plant protected with hardware cloth at least for the first couple years to protect from gnawing rodents.

Fertilization:

Unless your soil is severely depleted, your plants may not need fertilizer, just the nutrients released from the breakdown of a good yearly mulching with a natural material.