Willow Water for Rooting

One of my favorite things to do in the spring is to force some pussy willows to bud out inside my house. This is a little glass milk jar of pussy willows that will soon be offering green leaves. As the pussy willow, or any willow for that matter begins to force out in the spring it exudes a rooting compound which encourages any plant material in the vase of water with it to send out roots. Pictured here are some mint pieces which very quickly sent out roots. I also have some jars with Rosemary and Lavender. Those woody plants don't send out roots quite as quickly but I have never had this method of organic rooting fail me. Now, the roots that sprout in water are weaker roots because as water roots they have not had any resistance that roots sprouted in soil would have. So, when I plant these in little pots I have to make it a very loose soil, by adding lots of extra sand or vermiculite.