What is Rooting Hormone from Willow Twig?
Several tribes throughout the world have employed a natural rooting hormone mixture derived from willow twigs to root plants since ancient times. The main reasons for employing willow twigs are two essential chemicals found in bark and twig extracts. These are the chemicals salicylic acid and indolebutyric acid. These two acids drain into the water from willow branches, causing other plant cuttings to root faster.
How to Prepare Juice Rooting Hormone from Willow Twig
Willow branches may be utilized in four different ways to make a natural rooting hormone, which you can then use to induce roots in your plants and cuttings.
1- Preparing Hormone Water by Boiling Willow Twigs in Water
Collect as many as you can off the 3-4 cm thick willow tree branches in your neighborhood. Harvesting the branches without injuring the tree is crucial for environmental conservation. You can put the willow branches to good use by increasing their number in accordance to the number of plants you have.
After cleaning the tree branches, cut them into 2-2.5 cm long pieces and store them in a suitable container. In a kettle over high heat, boil twice as much water with the willow branches. After the water has boiled, leave it in a cool spot for at least 24 hours to cool and infuse.
After 24 hours, use suitable amounts of willow tree hormone water to plant cuttings or newly planted seedling soil.
2- Preparation of Hormone by Soaking Willow Twigs in Boiling Water
As previously stated, willow twigs can be used by soaking them in boiling water for at least 24 hours, covered, without boiling, and then diluting them with twice as much water in the same manner.
3- Rooting Cuttings Using Willow Twigs
Cut 3-4 cm thick willow branches into 15-20 cm lengths and set them in a jar of water with plant cuttings.
The stressed fresh willow cuttings you place in the water to root will quickly exude salicylic and indolebutyric acid into the water. Because of these hormone acids, your other plant's cuttings will root faster and earlier than they should.
Once your plant's cuttings have rooted, you can plant them in their native habitat, near water, near fountains, or in suitable gardens.
4- After Soaking in Water, Willow Tree Branches Can be Used.
Separate the willow tree branches from the leaves, cut them into 7-8 cm lengths, and completely fill 5-liter water bottles or similar plastic containers with water.
For 15 days, keep the water bottle in a dark and cold place. Standing water will become gel-like in texture. Once you've met these requirements, water your plants using half a tea glass for small and medium-sized pots and one water glass for large pots. You can repeat the method as needed by observing the growth of your plants.
The amount of willow twigs in the water bottle should be equivalent to 1/4 of the water added.
Willow water's efficacy as a rooting hormone varies and is not a substitute for a commercially available rooting hormone. It is also vital to adopt suitable plant propagation procedures, such as collecting healthy cuttings and giving the appropriate quantity of moisture and light, to boost root growth.