The Easter branch appears every year: a vase full of pussy willow twigs with coloured eggs hanging from them. Cosy for Easter, but what do you do with it afterwards? Most people throw it away. A shame, because if you look closely, you'll see that those twigs have grown substantial roots after a few weeks in water. And a twig with roots is no longer decoration. It's simply a new tree in the making.
From Easter branches to a willow of your own
Many Easter branches are actually branches of a willow, often a corkscrew willow. And willows are known for rooting easily. Put such a branch in water for a while and you'll often see small roots appear on their own. Do you have a garden? Then you can simply put the branch in the ground after Easter. Choose a spot where it has room to grow, as willows grow quickly. Give it some water occasionally at first and let nature do the rest. With a bit of luck, you'll have a beautiful willow within a few years, from which you can cut new Easter branches every spring. The nice thing is that such a tree often grows many more branches than you need yourself. So there's a good chance that neighbours, friends, or family can also cut a few branches from it at Easter.
Bonus: make willow water from your Easter branches
A willow branch has another useful property. You can make willow water from it. This is a natural aid to help cuttings root better. Normally, people use rooting powder for this (for sale in shops). But willows naturally contain a plant hormone that stimulates root growth. This hormone is also one of the active ingredients in much rooting powder. Additionally, willow contains salicin. This is a substance that helps the plant defend itself against diseases. For cuttings, this can be just the extra boost they need to take root more effectively. In other words: with a few willow twigs, you are essentially making your own natural rooting aid.
This is how to make willow water yourself
Making willow water is simple and costs next to nothing. Cut young willow twigs into pieces approximately 2.5 centimetres long. Remove the leaves and put the twig pieces into a glass jar. Then, there are two ways to make the water. The quick method is to pour boiling water over the twigs and let the mixture cool. The slow, but slightly more sustainable method is to use rainwater and soak the twigs for 24 to 48 hours. Then, strain the water. Your willow water is now ready for use. Place your cuttings in this water for a few days before you put them in potting soil. Many gardeners find that cuttings develop roots faster as a result.
Throwing things away is a waste, and that goes for your Easter branches after Easter too! They can become a beautiful tree in your garden or help with the growth of your cuttings!
How to get the most out of your Easter branch
In short: don't throw away your Easter branches straight after Easter. If you have a garden, you can plant them and let them grow into a willow tree. This will provide new Easter branches for years to come. If you don't have space for that, you can also use the branch to make willow water for your cuttings. A simple Easter branch turns out to be surprisingly useful after all. With a bit of luck, next year you'll have not one, but a whole tree full of new Easter branches. And that feels a lot nicer than a branch in the green waste bin.
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- Also see: Get to work with the bee bow!
- Also see: Top ten favourite flowers of bees.
Sources: garden advice.nl. Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl (main image), Amanda Sniekers (other).
