Re: Re:(iris)CULT:WillowWater (Long)

On Sat, 4 Sep 2004 13:47:54 EDT BillBLR@aol.com writes:
> Did I miss an item?  I'm still wondering about using willow water on 
> iris.  
> How to make it and how to use it.
> 
> 
Bill, I was not able to respond for several days so just sent my reply
directly to Char in WI. It is fairly long and I wasn't sure it would be
of interest to the general list. I am always glad to share anything I
have with fellow iris gardeners but do get carried away!! Just don't want
to be a bore. Copy of my info to her follows:

Hi Char in WI,
Sorry to not get back with your question about willow water and the topic
was so long ago I'll reply to you directly. Hope thats ok.
 
willow water has been explained to me a couple of ways. A county agent
said she used it to help speed up rooting on tree and vine cuttings. I
used it on poplar tree cuttings and it really seemed to help, at least
those rooted faster than the ones the year before without the willow
water. I have also used it on dried iris rhizomes to rehydrate and any
others if I can take the time and remember to do it. 
 
Willow water that I use is nothing more than a bucket of fresh water and
a few chunks of green willow stems thrown in and then left set about 24
hours or sometimes a little longer.  When doing tree cuttings, I take
them out of the fridge and put them and the green willow cuttings in the
bucket at the same time and let them set overnight. the willows are
usually green and growing about the time to plant the trees. The stems or
limbs I use are about 1/2 inch (maybe slightly smaller but not real tiny
twigs). I just chunk them up and put a few in each bucket.
 
When I use them for iris, I do the water w/willows the day before and
then just soak them a few hours or up to overnight if they are really
dry. I do this after a bleach bath on incoming rhizomes (sometimes!)  I
am not strict about the procedure and sometimes use it and sometimes not
but I do think it helps. Some people swear by it. Another friend has some
very complicated recipe for about the same thing but it seems like it was
quite a process and more of a compost water or tea but used for a soak.
This other way is easier and simpler and I really think it is just
something leaching from the green willow bark that is the effective part.
 
Sorry about being so slow....canning time, high school football started,
school, and a few iris to move....on and on.
Regards,
Char Randall
Melba, ID
 
This is from a second follow up reply she sent me:

If you try the willow water you might just try a few and see if you
notice any difference. As I mentioned, I don't do it all of the time and
am sporadic at any routine! When I am really concerned about a planting,
I use a light mix of root stimulant with vitamin B12 at transplant. My
main point on the iris talk list was that the willow water worked better
for me than the alfalfa...and I know there are people who swear by that.
Anytime you have more than one gardener, you have more than one way to do
it huh!! That's why I enjoy the iris talk and info.
 
Regards,
Char in Idaho

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