A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Shrubs and Trees Pussy Willow Question

Hi....

Does anyone know how long i should keep our pussy willow branches in water? We cut and brought them in about a week ago.

Greg

Hi Greg! What are wanting to do with the pussy willow? Are you wanting to root it?

Donna

Hi...
We are just using them for vase arrangements.

Greg

Hello, what a great site!
I have an urgent problem/question.
2 yrs ago, in May, we purchased this house. A tree in the yard was haunted by a certain woodpecker ever since. I could have sworn it was a White Birch Tree.....Now I see I am very wrong. Late december just before our big snow-I am in PA- the massive winds blew the poor thing down. I was unable to get to it to chop it up then, thinking it had died from all the holes the darn bird punched into it.
My kids went out to play yesterday, and brought me *nature presents*, LOL...Sticks with white puffs, and I immediately thought of pussy willow, though I have never actually seen one, but in flower shops. Here, though the tree fell over, I think all the roots out except for one little section, definately exposed, it is still trying to live. Most of it has no new growth. Just one small section near the Y close to the bottom has about 5-8 new shoots and branches with the puffs on it.
Can I save it??? And how? Cut off the new shoots, and plant them into a pot? and when would I Do this? Would this start a new tree for me? Or should I try to dig around the bottom, much deeper, and put it back in, the whole thing? Or just cut off all the parts that look dead? (most of the tree, it will look quite goofy for a while, LOL!) but that would be fine if I could save the poor thing...If I can determine if it is male or female, would I need to go buy the opposite sex, somehow?
I wish I could send a pic, but I broke my digital cam last weekend trying to video the the flooding here... :( Please dont ask..

BTW: I just made my first *garden* last year....And I HAVE burned a pot of boiling water before, so be easy on me!!! ;) Rookie to the max...