If you own a pasture, you are probably aware of how much clippings are left behind when tending to it. Willow rods reach enormous lengths. The special thing about the branches is their flexibility. By using these to make something out of the willow leftovers, you kill two birds with one stone: on the one hand, there are fewer items to dispose of, and on the other, you enrich your garden with impressive decorations.

A pretty fence can be easily made from willow rods

Material acquisition

If you don't have a pasture in your own garden, you are welcome to use free-standing trees. The branches sprout again quickly, so that no damage occurs. Alternatively, you can buy rod willows in a hardware store, in a tree nursery or on the Internet.

when to cut

Please note, however, that willows may only be cut between October and February. Otherwise you could destroy your nesting site for breeding birds.

Which kind of willow is suitable?

Recommended willow species with particularly flexible branches are

  • the wicker
  • the silver willow
  • the purple willow
  • or the wicker

tips

If the willow rods are already hard and inelastic, it helps to put them in water for a while.

Which branches to use?

Before you cut willow branches, you must be clear about the intended use. If you want to make decorative objects, you should use branches that no longer sprout. Young branches, on the other hand, are ideal for a climbing aid or a privacy screen. If the rods continue to green, the result is a very attractive appearance.

Craft ideas from willow

Especially as an enrichment in the garden, crafts made of willow fulfill both an optical and a practical purpose. Here are two ideas on how to process willow:

Natural privacy protection

  1. Depending on the length, you need stable sticks that serve as posts (1 meter privacy screen = 3-4 posts)
  2. sharpen the ends to make it easier to stick them into the ground
  3. drive the stakes about 30-40 cm deep into the ground
  4. wrap 2-3 meter willow rods horizontally around the stakes
  5. different patterns can be designed as desired
  6. cut off the protruding ends

tips

a low-height privacy screen also serves as a bed border.

tying willow wreaths

  1. it is best to use egg-year-old rods
  2. braid or twist the rods into a round shape
  3. wrap a wire around the wreath
  4. decorate the wreath (for example with beads)

Category:

Trees