I just read this great tip from Horticulure Magazine. Listen up if you are a serious gardener.
Did you know if you take cuttings from your garden, you can make a natural tea to help them sprout roots?
Follow the steps to make your own willow tea:
Step 1: Cut a healthy branch from a willow tree. A branch approximately 1/2" in diameter and 6 feet long will yield 1 cup of tea. Depending on how many cuttings you may have you can gauge how many willow branches you will need. Please don't use branches that have fallen to the ground.
Step 2: Cut the branch into 3-4" pieces. Put the pieces in a large pot and add enough water to just cover them. Cook at medium-high for 20 minutes. Afterwards, turn off the stove and leave the pot where it was overnight, undisturbed.
Step 3: Remove the branches and put the tea into a glass or plastic container. You can refrigerate this tea for up to two months. When ready to use, use equal parts water to dilute the tea for your garden cuttings. The tea can be used in place of watering from time to time until the roots are established.
Conclusion: The willow bark contains a natural rooting hormone which help your other plants to establish their rooting system.
The tea should NOT be used for human consumption so clearly label the bottle that is being refrigerated.
I love this- I moved recently and have had to start my garden from scratch. I used this on all of my starts last fall and they rooted so well before winter.
ReplyDeleteThank you. This tip was really helpful for a lot of people. I've gotten lots of positive feedback from people who were excited to try it this year. It makes my day when I know a tip was really helpful to someone.
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