Hi Folks,
Just a little more about weeping willows to help dry up wet spots.
Besides weeping willow, the other commonly used willow was the pussy willow
which is very easy to identify.
There are probably hundreds of willows that all look alike so it could be
difficult to find the right one if you especially want weeping willow.
With pussy willow, anyone can find the right willow, so it gets used pretty
often despite the fact that the weeping willow is better.
I expect that we could buy weeping willow and pussy willow at a nursery but it
isn't necessary to buy anything.
All you need to do is push willow twigs into moist soil. They will take, if
the moisture is there. Once they get going, you can expect them to grow 6-8
feet per year.
Be sure to plant willows close to the wet spot. If they can't _always_ find
water very near by, they will go exploring, and absolutely will find your
field tile. The roots can travel astounding distances. They have been known
to find tiny leaks in rusty old iron water pipe, and to exploit those leaks
to the point of breaking the pipe.
Weeping willows have branches and leaves that drape all the way to the ground
and make a nice private place. That's partly why they are called weeping
willows.
My maternal grandfather had 3 of them planted on his farmstead.
My mother had 15 siblings, mostly sisters.
She told me that at one time or another each of those sisters suffered from a
broken heart, for which the best place to partly recover was sitting in the
private place made by one of those willows.
She said that many times all three weeping willows were in use at once,
particuliarly during WWII when spouses and boyfriends were scattered across
the world.
When I arrived on that scene, the weeping willows were still there. I wasn't
much prone to broken hearts, but those willows sure came handy to momentarily
excape from my countless cousins.
--
Kindest regards,
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F. W. Owen
Owenlea Holsteins
9430 Spencer Road
Homerville, Ohio 44235
e-mail fwo@bright.net
home page http://www.bright.net/~fwo
voice & fax 330.625.2369
cell 330.635.2287
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