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How to harvest basket willow and create a coppice willow

By Chris Dalziel

Each spring, as soon as the snow melts in the garden, and before bud break, there is a very short window to harvest willow rods for basket weaving. The willow rods are cut at the base of each rod, one at a time. A mature willow stool will have any where from 20 to 40 long straight rods, ready to harvest in the spring.

You can use the rods for weaving willow baskets, for making living willow sculptures, or for making a wattle fence or other garden structures. You can also use the rods to make willow cuttings, in order to expand your basket willow plantation.