Help with Primary School willow domes - South Oxon

[LucyI]

Hi All, I'm new to the forums so apologies if I don't quite get the etiquette right.

I'm a member of our small village Primary School PTA. We built a number of willow domes with the kids last year which was a fantastic learning activity for them. They're now looking a little worse for wear and we don't know how to fix them or keep them in good shape. We've also got no funding to get them mended.

So.... I'm mercilessly on the scrounge for any volunteered Willow Dome/weaving expertise in the South Oxfordshire area.

If this is something that you know about and you would be willing to share your expertise then please do drop me a line. My email address is lucy.ireland (at)gmail.com.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Lucy

 

[bushcraftbob]

Hi Lucy - in what way are they looking worse for wear? Are the domes just losing their shape?

 

[Melonfish]

if i was in south ox i would, anybody done any willow weaving/fedge work?
i'm guessing some of the willow didn't take hold last year and may just need re-threading.

 

[badgeringtim]

Sorry not local, nor an expert but id offer my help if i were closish. Just as a thought - when were they 'done' last year?
Willow is 'ard as the proverbial, but if much of it has died off or not taken it might have been because it was done in mid summer and didnt have a chance to establish? much better when the ground is damp - so whatever assistance you do get i would leave it for a few months.

Assuming it is just tidying up and not that it really just didnt work right;
Keep your eye out for some nicely trimmed back willow that you can accost, once you start to look you will find some quite easily i am sure. and then it is a matter of doing hmm i can only think of 3 things, but as i said im no expert.

1) trim back* or re-thread new growth into the structure, will make it look tidier and stronger - try to get as much at the base and horozontal as you can.
2) either take out dead wood - or leave it (which is more normal)
3) put in new stems - any willow (excepting weeping maybe) cut from .5 cm to over 5 cm (in x section) wlil try and root once it is stuffed in the ground and it only really needs to be prevented from drying out, and probably keeping little people away from it for a few months to allow the re-establishing roots a chance. I would push the 1 cm piece in around 8 cm, but its a grab it and push in until it feels firm type scenario.

* if you trim back you can use that to re-plant in step 3.

hope that was vaguely useful?

 

[naefearjustbeer]

So when is the best time of year to cut willow and plant it in the ground?