North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Doreen Howard" <doreenh@ticon.net>]

Brian Raby wrote:
I remember in an old issue of Organic Gardening that a college student was
working with some willow whips and had placed them in water to begin
rooting.  When the rooting took place and the willows were planted, he took
the excess water that they rooted in and watered some tomato seedling.  As a
result, he saw a significant increase in root development and plant growth
over tomatoes that did not receive the "willow water".  I would probably
take a gallon container, fill it with water and place willow whips in it.
Wait for the roots to develop and you have your willow water.

Long time rose rustlers (little old ladies in tennis shoes in Texas and
Louisiana) have used willow water to root rose cuttings for ages.  The
willow bark has acetic acid compounds in it that are nearly identical to
commercial aspirin.  Willow cuttings boiled in water is an old Indian recipe
for curing fever and inflammation. You drink the water BTW, not chew the
cutting. :-)  If you don't have access to willow to brew this tea, you can
use baby aspirin or low dose aspirin prescribed on a daily basis for blood
thinning (85 mg. I think).  Dissolve one tablet in a quart of hot water.
Let it cool and soak cuttings at least 8 hours.  I've used this recipe with
great success.
Doreen Howard
Wisconsin Zone 4b, where it's snowing and below zero AGAIN.  Hurry Spring!