Tree Propagation

= Willow = Willow propagates very successfully from cuttings and it roots with ease. Take a cutting from some fresh growth and place this in fresh, chlorine-free water (such as rainwater or water that has been boiled and cooled) until the roots begin to grow. The roots will appear after a few days and will present themselves as small, white nodules under the waterline. Plant the cuttings into a general-purpose potting compost

= Oak = Soak the acorn overnight in cold water, ideally something without chlorine. Discard any acorns that float as these will not be viable. Plant the acorn in a 0.5 litre pot in a seed mix (something light and without peat) and place a plastic bag over the pot to keep it humid. Put the pot outside (or somewhere cold) to encourage germination. Remove the bag once the seedling shows above the soil. Acorns planted in the Autumn should germinate in March or April.

= Hazel = Gently rasp or sand the outside of the hazelnut until a patch is visible. Take care not to create a hole in the shell as this will prevent the nut from germinating.

= Hawthorn = Collect the large, ripe berries in September, taking care to avoid any that are moulding. The berries each contain a single large seed that can be extracted by mashing the berries with a broom handle in the bottom of a bucket, then rinsing with water (the seeds will sink whilst the pulp will mostly float). Hawthorn seeds require a long period of dormancy and so they should be sown the second Spring after collection (i.e. seed collected in 2017 should be sown in 2019). The sown pots will then remain outside for up to 18 months before any germination is visible.