Can you be too aggressive with willow?

[spandit]

Got a reasonably large grey willow (18" diameter) that previously split. It's got several stems and is lopsided, partly because it's under some power lines and the utility company don't care too much for aesthetics...

 

Anyway, it's pretty ugly and getting close to the lines again. If I get it cut down to, say, 5' tall, I'm guessing it will just start sprouting again or is this too much?

Edited January 15, 2016 by spandit
Inches and feet...

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Got a reasonably large grey willow (18" diameter) that previously split. It's got several stems and is lopsided, partly because it's under some power lines and the utility company don't care too much for aesthetics...

 

Anyway, it's pretty ugly and getting close to the lines again. If I get it cut down to, say, 5' tall, I'm guessing it will just start sprouting again or is this too much?

 

That is an awful lot in one go and I have known them die-off if hit too hard, probably huge physiological shock.

 

Interested to hear others experience.

 

Cheers..

Paul

[Steve Bullman]

I think in 19 years I can only recall hacking back 1 willow that didn't sprout back after.

[Stubby]

That is an awful lot in one go and I have known them die-off if hit too hard, probably huge physiological shock.

 

Interested to hear others experience.

 

Cheers..

Paul

 

Felled to the ground . Sprouted from the stump . Same with Robinia

[Johny Walker]

Got a reasonably large grey willow (18" diameter) that previously split. It's got several stems and is lopsided, partly because it's under some power lines and the utility company don't care too much for aesthetics...

 

Anyway, it's pretty ugly and getting close to the lines again. If I get it cut down to, say, 5' tall, I'm guessing it will just start sprouting again or is this too much?

 

 

cut it to ground leval then give it a drink off roundup

[dan494]

I've seen logs left partially under mud sprout!

[Stubby]

Grind some up and use a rooting powder .

[spandit]

Thought that might be the case...

 

It's not an attractive tree anyway so if it dies (which I doubt it will) I'll put something nicer in

[Goaty]

You can, but seldom have I seen it.

Willow is fizzing with rooting hormone naturally.

[Farmer Tom]

Yeah, me too.

I've done a wind-blown willow, trunk at base 18",rootball sitting up at 90 degrees,

cut it to 12" left of stem, trampled the rootball back down horizontal,

it's now a thicket.

 

edit: and the logs I left on the ground are also a thicket now....

 

 

BUT there's quite a variety of willow out there so you might be unlucky....