Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

 Now's the time to start rooting cuttings-and here's an easy way to do
it-Barb

Use a tea solution of willow. Any species of the genus Salix is fine.
Willow, common name for Salix, is a softwood tree or shrub related to
poplars. Those growing along the coast are Salix interior, those on inland
rivers are Salix niger, black willow.  You can even use weeping willow. It
is made by boiling about a quart of water on the stove for about 15
minutes, then adding at least one heaping measuring cup of soft willow
branches. The branches are prepared by stripping the leaves and cutting
them into about one-inch lengths. The point is to get the branches from the
current years' growth that has a thin bark. Also, recommended is to cut the
stems lengthwise or smash them with a hammer. The willow branch clippings
are dumped into the boiling water; the heat turned off; stirring
occasionally; and left covered to cool overnight. DO NOT BOIL THE WILLOW
ITSELF. This steeps out the chemicals that are beneath the bark. When cool
(overnight or longer) the woody clippings may be strained off. The solution
put into a clean quart jar and capped. It is best if it is used up within
three days. This solution is then used for soaking the cuttings in
overnight.

Re-cut the stem ends on the bottom by holding them under the willow water
and dropping them in. DO NOT LIFT TO EXPOSE TO THE AIR as the air will
"plug up" the sieve cells that take water up into the plant. Then, put the
cuttings into a clean rooting medium to establish roots.

Sometimes the top leaf of the cutting drops off. You may suspect soil
fungus, if the cutting stem at ground level becomes black. It is probably
from fungus disease called "canker", and the cutting is no good. Willow
helps to prevent this because it is a disinfectant. The American Indians
put it in wounds to disinfect and drank willow for pain.

To avoid bacteria contamination, it is recommended to dip clippers in a
solution of one Tablespoon of bleach in a quart water.

The biggest secret to rooting cuttings is to keep everything clean! The
other is to refrain from digging around the cutting to see if it has roots.
New roots from cuttings are fine as hair, and few at first. Not only does
your dirty old finger contaminate the soil, but it also breaks the
hair-like roots of the cutting. Trust a clean stem area at ground level and
the leaves you left on the cutting being still mostly intact to tell you
what you want to know.