Garden Care Guide

Basket Willow Care

Salix viminalis

A willow species grown for its long, flexible branches used in basketry that likes constantly moist to wet soil. It is not drought tolerant and for the best branch yield it is cut back hard to the base every year at the end of winter (coppicing).

Hardy · -35 °C / -31 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Pruning: Preparation for the main pruning season can begin toward the end of the month.
  • Plant protection: Apply dormant mineral oil if needed.
  • General care: Get ready for pruning.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for signs of canker on the trunk and branches.
February
  • Fertilizing: After pruning, apply well-rotted farmyard manure or compost/balanced NPK fertilizer to the soil; do not overapply.
  • Pruning: While dormant, remove dry, broken, crossing and inward-growing branches so that air and light reach the inside of the crown.
  • General care: Pruned branches are used for basketry or planted as cuttings to produce new plants.
  • Frost risk: Protect newly planted seedlings from severe frosts.
March
  • Watering: If the soil begins to dry, water abundantly (30-40 L/week); water is very important for new shoots; reduce if there is rain.
  • Fertilizing: If it was not done in February, do it now; do not overapply.
  • Plant protection: Check the new shoots for aphids.
  • General care: After hard pruning, many new shoots quickly begin to grow from the base.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water 1-2 times a week.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: The shoots lengthen quickly.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
  • Watering: Water 2-3 times a week. Water around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Spread a 5-7 cm layer of mulch over the root zone; it retains soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk.
  • Pests & diseases: Check fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water. Check the undersides of the leaves for orange-brown pustules (rust).
June
  • Watering: Water deeply 3-4 times a week, early in the morning. Water around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm. Frequent shallow watering pulls the roots to the surface.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Avoiding water stress during these months is vital for quality shoots.
  • Pests & diseases: Check fresh shoot tips for aphids (small clusters of green or black insects). If there are few, you can knock them off with a strong spray of water. Check the undersides of the leaves for orange-brown pustules (rust).
July
  • Watering: Water deeply 3-4 times a week, early in the morning. Water around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm. Frequent shallow watering pulls the roots to the surface.
  • Plant protection: Continue pest control.
  • General care: Check the soil moisture constantly.
  • Pests & diseases: Water stress weakens the plant and makes it open to diseases.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply 3-4 times a week, early in the morning. Water around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm. Frequent shallow watering pulls the roots to the surface.
  • Plant protection: Continue pest control.
  • General care: Maintain the mulch to keep the roots cool.
  • Pests & diseases: Keep watching for signs of water stress.
September
  • Watering: Water 2-3 times a week. Water around the roots to a depth of 15-20 cm.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Shoot growth slows and the branches begin to mature.
  • Pests & diseases: Check the undersides of the leaves for orange-brown pustules (rust).
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water 1-2 times a week.
  • General care: Its leaves turn yellow. Clear the fallen leaves.
November
  • Watering: If the winter rains start, stop watering completely.
  • Plant protection: Apply a copper-based preparation after leaf fall to prevent diseases.
  • General care: Collect fallen leaves; many disease agents and pests overwinter under leaves.
  • Frost risk: Protect newly planted seedlings during the first winter.
December
  • Pruning: Get ready for pruning.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

Want reminders for every plant in your garden? Our garden-care app with monthly task lists and frost alerts is currently available in Turkish; the English version is on the way.

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