How to start Growing WIllow

The questions I’m asked most often are: How do I start growing willow? How much space do I need, and which varieties should I plant?

While there’s no single right answer, here are some key points to help you get started.

How Much Willow Do I Need?

A single willow plant produces rods of different lengths and thicknesses. A healthy plant in full production (after about five years) will produce 10–30 rods per year. A small basket can use around 120 rods, and not all rods will be suitable, so you need more plants than you might expect.

Willow is usually planted at:

• 30 cm (1 ft) between plants

• 60 cm (2 ft) between rows

That’s about 5 plants per square metre. If you have the space, ¼ acre is a very good long-term aim. Most basket makers quickly discover they never grow enough willow!

Start Small

Not all varieties will grow well in every location, and not all are pleasant to work with. Start by planting a few varieties, see how they perform in your soil and climate, and notice which rods suit the baskets you want to make. You can always take cuttings later and expand your beds.

Choosing Varieties

Stick to willow known to be good for basket making — flexible, thin rods that don’t grow too tall.

In general:

• Viminalis: too tall, better for structures

• Purpurea: fine rods, but more disease-prone

• Triandra: reliable, easy to strip, good all-rounder

• Rubra: hybrids, generally disease-resistant

• Alba: great colour, can grow tall

Where to Plant

Willow needs:

• Full sun

• Moisture

• No competition from trees or weeds (especially in the first few years)

Avoid very rich soil — it encourages tall growth that’s less useful for basketry. Willow likes water but won’t survive with its roots submerged for long periods. Also think about access, as harvesting happens in the wettest months.

How to Plant

Plant willow from cuttings:

• Push at least 20 cm (8 in) into the ground

• Leave a similar length above the soil

Leaves appear in spring, followed by new shoots.

Experiment

There’s no one correct way to grow willow. Try things out, observe what works, and adapt over time. Growing your own willow is a learning process — and a very rewarding one.

Harvesting Willow- a small growers guide to harvesting your Basketry Willow

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Storing Your basketry Willow

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

How it all began….this womans Foray into Farming

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.