Threads 125: Snippets about growing willow from cuttings and dyeing
Willow is probably the easiest shrub in the world to grow from cuttings. It is also sometimes included with bunches of other shrubs to encourage rooting. This is because it is rich in indolebutyric acid (IBA) to stimulate root growth and salicylic acid (SA) to protect cuttings from infection.
I have experimented with colouring my fresh willow cuttings. I used coloured ink for colouring which I put in a bucket with the Willow cuttings and left for about two months. I then stripped off the bark and found the inner bark was beautifully coloured. It also seemed very colour fast. It was not cheap so I don’t think it would be a practical way of dying a lot of Willow. It is also time-consuming as it requires stripping the bark off the Willow to find the colour. This is the only way I have ever used coloured willow. I wonder if anybody else has experimented? I did try with dye willow without much success because such a large container for dyeing.
Before I bought a brake for removing the peel from Willow. I made my own solution. I had a couple of big Willow tree stumps in my garden and I hammered in a few sets of nails in a v shape, so that the bark could be removed by drawing it through the two nails - to peel off the bark. Thus exposing the coloured inner bark. I used it in combination with buff willow. I sold all those baskets so unfortunately I have no examples, and I never discovered how light sensitive they were.
I have also used Willow with a lovely gold bark, but I did find when it dried it did not stay evenly coloured and some went black and looked quite ugly. There are several varieties of golden Willow and it might be worth experimenting with different varieties. I wonder is anyone else has done any experimenting with colouring willow?
This can only be done in the early spring when the bark can be removed easily to show the colour.
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Workshops coming soon!
Fairy Baskets and Cordage | May 23
Birch Bark Baskets | June 13
Round Basket with Bark | August 29
Tatza Bread Basket | August 30
Straw | September 26