Willow Tree water for Seedlings - Thoughts?

Grow Cycle Seedling
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I had read that weeping willow tree branches, if you cut them in pieces and soak them for 24-48 hours, the water absorbs the hormones that create tremendous growth in seedlings. Tried that this time… Here are my seedlings 6 days later, ready to come out of the humidity dome. I had my reservations about even trying this, as I’ve also read that one should never introduce additional nutrients to seedlings as the seeds contain their own growth hormones. Just a word of caution… two of my plants, the Orinoco (OR) med seeds, started out fast, then keeled over. All attempt to revive them failed. It’s possible that additional nutrients killed them, its also possible that the seeds were bad (of 5 seeds, 2 planted and died, went to remaining 3 seeds in packet and 1 seed had crumbled on its own). I’ve planted 2 remaining seeds in normal potting soil to see if the remaining 2 fare any better.

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here is a pic below of the thumb size willow tree stubs soaking away (they regrew their own roots/shoots)…

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Yes I’ve heard of using Willow water for rooting cuttings. It contains indolebutyric acid which is a rooting hormone. Never used it or heard of it’s use for foliage though, or seedlings. I’m interested in what others have to say. I used to live on a river with a Willow tree and enjoyed it’s many uses.

1 Like
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It makes sense as I do believe the willow tree is what rooting hormones are extracted or made from.

4

Didnt they produce asprin from the same source?

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Yes I had to look that up the active ingredient in Willow Tree medicine is salicin some people use willow tree bark instead of aspirin