Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Willow Trees on Banks

I'm one of the rare people that happens to like willow trees.

I have a few that are growing right on the banks of my ponds, they are about 6 inches under water in the spring after snow melt, and as the water table falls they are a couple feet away from waters edge during a normal summer/fall water level.

I'm wondering if it is a big no-no to let them grow?

I finished excavating my ponds in 2009, the construction wasn't ideal due to the soil I started with. The clay I wound up using for the lining was very silty, so I get quite a difference in water level from spring to fall. Last year the difference was over 4 feet due to a drought in the spring. In a normal year the water level drops about 18". I have a 4:1 slope and in some places even less steep due to all the soil being sandy loam.

I'll attach a satellite picture. The red circles are where the young willows are. This pic is from late summer 2016, the water is as low as it has been since I finished digging in 2011.



Here is a pic from I think 2013, some time around early summer:

I love willows also but not around my ponds. I have a small 1/4 acre forage pond with a big willow on the dam. About 10 years a drought dried it up. I was walking around it and noticed a small willow on the other side from the big willow. I started pulling it up and found that it was actually a root from the big willow 50 ft. away. They drink a lot of water and are very invasive.

What he said. If you already have annual water levels dropping, it can only get worse as the willows grow and get more established.

My biggest concern is the invasiveness of "common willow". I prefer corkscrew or weeping willows that do not seem to spread. We have a 25 year old weeping willow with a diameter of over 3'. Plant them where you want to dry up a wet spot.

What is exactly what you don't want to do if you want to have a pond.........

I agree about the invasive willows. Just like cattails, they have to be dealt with on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.

Willows have roots that will run more than twice the tree's spread. The roots will make a mat within the pond dam and cause a seep in the pond. If the tree dies the seep might get worse.

Willows are pretty, but for a pond I prefer button bush. We've planted some around eroded shoreline areas and most of it is doing well.

Thanks for the replies.

One thing I should mention is my pods do not have a damn, they are fully excavated, my land is flat. Not sure that makes a difference...

I'm at the mercy of the water table with or without the willows, I think.

I believe it was Lusk who told me that weeping willows are not invasive. But identifying the different type of small willows is like identifying fish fry.

I have an ongoing battle with small willow trees along two shorelines on the pond. Willows were located in this area prior to building the pond. My grand son recently tore up a weed eater attachment that was designed for brush cutting. Not his fault but I don't think it was designed to cut so many 1" trees. The area where these grow is along a 4 to 1 steep bank and make it impossible to remove with my 3 pt. brush hog. Plans are to continue to manually remove as many as possible until I can rent another track hoe with a thumb to pull up these 5 foot trees. If someone has a better plan of action let me know

"Glove of death"

Rah, u r over my head with that glove of death. come again

Never mind Rah, I got it, just a little slow this morning

When I dug these ponds (finished excavating in 2009, landscaping in 2011)), there were no willows in the area, it's only been in the last 3-4 years where they have shown up with a vengeance.

I guess I should just keep yanking them out then?

Tracy,

I don't know how you feel about herbicides but products like Navigate (2,4-D) and AquaNeat (Glyphosate) are supposed to be effective on willows according to TAMU.

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/management-options/willow/

Good Luck,

Bill D.

Thanks Bill, I am ok with those type of products, but I hate to saturate the area, as other type of vegetation is in the area as well. Been thinking of using a paint brush saturated and paint each and every 1" stump. Not me personally, but a younger generation might be able to get er done. maybe after I rent that excavator and then paint what is left. I don't know. lol

I treat young willows with Remedy and an oil surfactant.

I generally use Remedy with diesel on everything but pancakes.

Be sure to wear nurse gloves.

So, in the past I have just been hooking a chain/strap to the young willows and yanking them out with my backhoe. I assumed that was the best way to keep them from coming back?

That will probably work. BTW, as best I can tell, the nearest willow to me is about 1/4 mile.

With the glove of death, there is no spraying involved, and only the plant that runs through your hand is affected, unless you touch other plants with the glove.