Characteristic
An adult tree is relatively small - up to six meters. The roots are branched in all directions, which gives additional advantages on rocky soil.
The main advantage of willow is its appearance, regardless of the season. In spring, so-called seals appear, then foliage appears, which acquires an unusual color by winter.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the shoots - here they have a flexible, twig-like shape and reach the soil. With a sufficient level of sunlight, a lush crown is formed on the tree, which will only add to the aesthetics of the plant.
Where to plant?
Goat willow does not like strong drafts and the shady side. The upper part of the root system reacts sharply to a lack of moisture - to prevent such an incident, use drainage when planting. Also, for the planting hole, it would not be superfluous to fertilize in the form of humus, compost or peat - this will significantly accelerate the growth of the future tree.
It is best to use fresh and light loam for willow growth, but in general, the plant is unpretentious in choosing soil. The main condition is the absence of limestone inclusions.
The main area of application of goat willow is parks, squares, and ponds. You can often find hedges made from such plants, and they look very good, especially in combination with other vegetation.
How to care for a plant at home
Goat willow prefers fertile soil and well-lit areas.
Location
Goat willow prefers illuminated areas. Some varieties can maintain decorative properties in partial shade. It is highly resistant and unpretentious to environmental conditions.
Excellent growth over several years can be obtained on fertile soil or cuttings. The culture develops well near bodies of water. Swampiness has a detrimental effect on the development of willow.
Watering
The plant prefers evenly moist soil. Short-term drought is allowed. To retain moisture, you will need a thick layer of mulch in the tree trunk circle. Peat, paper, expanded clay, pebbles and sawdust are suitable as a protective layer for breden. It is necessary to first crush the material and place it in a homogeneous mass at the base of the willow.
After watering, a crust often forms. The appearance of cracks indicates improper care. You can increase air circulation for the root system with regular loosening.
After watering, carefully loosen the soil at the base of the goat willow.
At the beginning of October, you need to reduce the amount of watering. Willow is a frost-resistant crop. A standard tree (a tree with a bare trunk and a branched wide crown) must be covered with protective material during the cold season.
Transfer
Willow should be replanted once every 3-4 years. For planting, you should first loosen the soil to a depth of 70 cm.
Heavy soil has a detrimental effect on the development of the root system. It is necessary to add a thick drainage layer of expanded clay, crushed stone, pebbles and sand (at least 30 cm). It is advisable to provide an average distance of 1.3 meters between seedlings.
Willow should be planted at a distance of at least one meter from other plants.
How to prune a willow
Young willow needs regular cleaning and pruning. The decorative quality of the crop depends on proper pruning. The procedure can be performed even on an annual plant. It is enough to leave shoots 15 cm long. One rudimentary shoot should remain on the branches.
It is advisable to prune the willow immediately after the inflorescences wither. For adult representatives, for a dense crown and lush branches, it is necessary to shorten the shoots by 2/3 of the length. The summer period is enough for the formation of new strong and strong shoots.
In early spring, it is necessary to clean the crop from frozen and dried branches. To ensure uniform formation of the hedge, you will need to trim all branches to zero (to the stump) every year.
Tools should be sharpened and disinfected before pruning.
Secateurs should be used to trim shoots. Massive branches can be trimmed using garden loppers. Blunt tools will damage the willow. For cleaning, it is better to use precise, convenient and sharp equipment. Goat willow “catkins” can be used to create ikebana and unusual winter decorations.
Detailed instructions for planting goat willow “Weeping” can be found in the video:
When to plant seedlings
When planted in spring or autumn, the plant will have time to “settle” well and acquire roots. Therefore, these periods are most suitable for planting a new tree.
Only planted willow requires regular watering - in the first seven days, it should take more than twenty liters of liquid. If a dry period occurs, the amount of water increases.
Care
This plant cannot be ignored - it requires regular care, especially if you want to get a neat tree. First of all, this is willow pruning and fertilization. As soon as the growing season begins, use complex fertilizers. Until the dormant state, two more feedings are recommended, and the last one should consist of potassium sulfur or superphosphate.
In order for a young tree to quickly form, it will require caring for the soil around it, as well as the destruction of weeds. Mulching using expanded clay, paper, sawdust is an excellent solution for this. If the soil is too dry, it needs to be loosened.
As for pruning, it should be regular, and the optimal height is half a meter. Dry and unattractive branches are removed so that the crown is formed correctly.
Selection of planting material
When you arrive at the nursery, you should know exactly what to look for in order to buy a tree such as Pendula goat willow. Planting and care will depend directly on the quality of the seedlings. We invite you to review our following tips:
Tip 1. Find out how the shoot was obtained. Today there are two main methods:
- pruning;
- graft.
Using this information, you can plan further tree care.
Tip 2. If the second method was used, carefully inspect the grafting site. There should be no dead scales on the bark. The trunk must be straight and strong.
Tip 3. Buy only goat willow that has increased winter hardiness.
These simple recommendations will help you buy the right and healthy plant, such as goat willow Pendula. Planting and care are the next important steps.
We grow on a standard
To grow goat willow on a trunk, you will need certain varieties of this tree, primarily “Pendula”. If you decide to use this method, the young shrub should be trimmed correctly to form the desired crown. Otherwise, the branches will fall to the ground and grow there.
When removing a young standard willow, you need to remove a young shoot, the length of which does not exceed fifteen centimeters. The remaining bud should be turned away from the green massif, otherwise the crown will turn out ugly. Once the mature tree has finished blooming, it also needs to be pruned.
Willow is propagated on a trunk by grafting, but this method is very complicated and is not always possible for plant owners. It is best to use seedlings from a nursery.
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Description of goat willow
Bredina, as goat willow is also called, grows up to 10 m in height. Most often it is a tree, but there are rare varieties that look like tree-like shrubs. The name of the plant is due to the fact that sheep and goats love to eat it. The willow's habitat includes almost the entire European territory, the Caucasus, and almost all of Asia. It grows in damp, but not wetlands, and loves fertile soils.
What does goat willow look like?
Rakita (another name for the plant) has a very beautiful, lush crown shape. The bark of the tree is gray-green, but becomes brown with age. The leaves are graceful, slightly pubescent on the back. During the flowering period, fluffy male and female earrings appear on the tree. Women's are smaller than men's and have a cylindrical shape, while men's are oval. Goat willow fruits are capsules, each containing 18 seeds.
Problems and their solutions
Although this tree is not considered susceptible to diseases, sometimes they can make themselves felt. If a white coating is detected on the leaves, we recommend using special antifungal drugs, otherwise the crown will quickly fall off.
The use of fungicides is suitable when black spots appear on the leaf mass. To prevent this from happening, we advise you to carefully monitor the soil. You should water at the root, not the entire tree.
