Willow and nectar

[Finman]

you can say that again

Thanks pall

I'll be planting cuttings from my own trees so I know what they're like. They also flower very quickly, in a year or two.

I'm not sure there's any particular disease I need to worry about but they are host to all sorts of caterpillars and other bugs, but that's just another reason to plant them. Same with including female plants, no doubt they'll provide seeds for something to eat.

I know that Salix caprea has two particular diseases. Salix caprea does not start from cuttings. This how it is in Finland.

But the are tens of willow species, and you may multiply them from cuttings. Not difficult science.

 

[Finman]

By the way, I am Master of Science in Botany. Continue laughing....

Salix family has lots of crossings.

 

[Finman]

I'm not sure there's any particular disease I need to worry about but they are host to all sorts of caterpillars and other bugs, but that's just another reason to plant them. Same with including female plants, no doubt they'll provide seeds for something to eat.

I know that willows have particular diseases. They do not stand much dry soil and they start easily to rotten.

But when you try, then you know.
.

 

[Woodland bees]

By the way, I am Master of Science in Botany. Continue laughing....

Salix family has lots of crossings.

Who's laughing?

I'm aware of Salix caprea hybridising that's why I also included grey willow in my list. My plants could be goat, grey or a hybrid.

I've grown hundreds of cuttings, with hardly any failures here and in the UK it seems to be common to root them from cuttings. I also own a few acres of willow carr, wet woodland, with a lot of grey/goat willow in it. It's very prolific round here.

I mainly use it to provide shelter and protection to other trees I've planted - something for the deer to eat. I had intended to gradually cut it out.

I now have a specific area where I thought I could grow it as a main tree and that's why I was originally asking is does it provide nectar for the bees.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Is it easy to grow cuttings of goat willow... When is best to taks them

 

[Curly green finger's]

I found this link about willow in the UK.
Willow

 

[Curly green finger's]

Is it easy to grow cuttings of goat willow... When is best to taks them

When they are dormant but any time except when they are flowering.

 

[Chiangmai member]

Last year in Chiangmai, the Willow (Salix tetrasperma) flowered on 25th November. A decade ago, we planted quite a lot for the bees and It's a great source of pollen and the trees grow incredibly fast. The problem is that it only flowers for two days a year.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is it easy to grow cuttings of goat willow.

Try stopping them! just cut a slip and slam them in the ground - any time in the growing season really, but it's quicker in spring.

 

[Goodwood]

our hives pulling in loads of nectar atm and I have always presumed it to be from the willows - loads here on the banks of the estuary and also lining the streams on moorland up in the Preseli Hills with my hives up there. Mainly goat willows. But like Goran says most will be burned up with brood expansion, although some no doubt will form a good backdrop to any Spring harvest.

 

[Woodland bees]

Is it easy to grow cuttings of goat willow... When is best to taks them

As has been said, it is hard to stop it rooting. I've used goat willow for sticks and stakes around the garden and they've rooted.

If you're really keen to get good results I gather the best time is late Autumn, so they can use the moist winter to root, but Nov to April is normally fine. I've been trying to get them in early as springs can be dry even down in wet Devon. A good long 2' cutting in a foot deep should be ideal. You can make them longer for more instant impact.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Talking of willow is there any basket weavers on here? That would like to share some advice on how to do it etc?
Maybe another thread but swimbo has a book and would like to have ago and I would for that matter.

 

[Amari]

Blackthorn is earlier than hawthorn to flower. I believe nectar output is similar but stand to be corrected.

Blackthorn at my place.. well, rarely I can see bees on them, but one friend told me that at his place is well attended.. Maybe difference of locality ( at same time other plants are better choice than blackthorn I believe).

Lots of blackthorn around here but not a bee to be seen on it yesterday (T 20C). Maybe it's because the OSR is coming into flower.

 

[madasafish]

Lots of blackthorn around here but not a bee to be seen on it yesterday (T 20C). Maybe it's because the OSR is coming into flower.

NO OSR here .

 

[elainemary]

As has been said, it is hard to stop it rooting. I've used goat willow for sticks and stakes around the garden and they've rooted.

If you're really keen to get good results I gather the best time is late Autumn, so they can use the moist winter to root, but Nov to April is normally fine. I've been trying to get them in early as springs can be dry even down in wet Devon. A good long 2' cutting in a foot deep should be ideal. You can make them longer for more instant impact.

My bees have also been going bonkers on goat willow in the lovely sunshine last couple of days. Noticed nectar coming into all hives as I did my first quick inspections, as well as pollen. The following trees show up strongly in my Spring honey analysis (National Honey Monitoring scheme) from last year: Willow, Sycamore, Wild Cherry and Cherry Laurel. Bilberry, not a tree or shrub of course, also features but likes acid soil.

 

[Curly green finger's]

My bees have also been going bonkers on goat willow in the lovely sunshine last couple of days. Noticed nectar coming into all hives as I did my first quick inspections, as well as pollen. The following trees show up strongly in my Spring honey analysis (National Honey Monitoring scheme) from last year: Willow, Sycamore, Wild Cherry and Cherry Laurel. Bilberry, not a tree or shrub of course, also features but likes acid soil.

Your forage up there elainemary is much the same as ours. Plenty of peat and acidic soil up here.

 

[elainemary]

Your forage up there elainemary is much the same as ours. Plenty of peat and acidic soil up here.

Yes our meadow is 5.6 ph & the moor is right above us with heather. One other tree that I missed in my honey analysis is Rowan for @Woodland bees

 

[elainemary]

Another one for you - curly hazel was out a couple of weeks ago and a magnet for all my bees collecting pollen, literally alive with hundreds of them

 

[Goran]

Long time ago while I was reading more about plants for bees, there was the line that above all willows the most nectar offer Salix babylonica (Babylon willow or weeping willow).. I don't have it nor wish to plant it, but if someone wants one ornamental tree on its apiary it is really nice one to see.. When I was kid near us were some huge weeping willows with branches till the ground, we take bunch of them together and swing and bump each other ( like " Tarzan")..