pruning dwarf blue arctic willow - Ask Extension
My dwarf blue arctic willow is about 5 years old and about 5 feet tall. It's been trimmed every spring but showing more dead tops and branches. Will i...
Knowledgebase
pruning dwarf blue arctic willow #765750
Asked August 04, 2021, 4:37 PM EDT
My dwarf blue arctic willow is about 5 years old and about 5 feet tall. It's been trimmed every spring but showing more dead tops and branches. Will it survive if I cut it down to about two feet early next spring?
Washington County Minnesota
Expert Response
You can prune off the dead branches at anytime. Pruning should be don in late winter. Read more:
Thanks for your answer. My question is CAN I cut it down to 2 feet and will it survive. I see that it will soon outgrow its space.
You can cut it down to 2 feet in late winter. This is called rejuvenation pruning.
Rejuvenation pruning is the removal of old, overgrown limbs so that the plant can grow new, vigorous branches in their place.
You can hard prune this arctic blue willow shrub when it gets too large for its allocated space.
If desired, plant the trimmed-off portions of the Arctic blue willow in potting soil and they will form roots.
This plant need moist soil so irrigate it during dry weather.
Rejuvenation pruning is the removal of old, overgrown limbs so that the plant can grow new, vigorous branches in their place.
You can hard prune this arctic blue willow shrub when it gets too large for its allocated space.
If desired, plant the trimmed-off portions of the Arctic blue willow in potting soil and they will form roots.
This plant need moist soil so irrigate it during dry weather.
Thank you for your help!
Another question. I've attached 2 photos. This same plant had a growth at the base last year which I removed. (photo 1) It was not a mushroom but rather dense and woody, hard to cut into. The plant has another growth in the same place this year. (photo 2). Any thoughts as to what it is?
Thanks,
Carol Banks
Thank you for your help!
The woody like growth may be a crown gall. Crown gall is caused by the bacterial plant pathogen, Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The following site has more information.
