Willow juice - natural hormone of growth

Willow is in family Salicaceae, genus Salix, in which we can find more than 350 species around the world.
Willows are dioecious, with male and female flowers. Usually it can be founded around rivers, pounds, wattery areas and on the edges of the forests.

It is rich in fitohormones or auxins ( from greek word auxein which means to grow), those are the plant,s hormones which are the most concentrated in the tips of the branches and the roots. The most common uses are to encourage the growth of the roots and the plants (especially on young seedlings). Also the hormone is encouraging the plants to flower profusely and regulate many different processes such as sprouting the seeds or the ripening of the fruits.

Willow also contains Salicylic acid which is preventing growth of bacterias or invasions of pests and in the same time improving the immune system of the plant.

Preparation of the juice: 

• Take as many tips of the young branches ( the best are those with young, light green leaves ). 
• Cut 100 grams of the young willow branches and soak it in 500 mililiters of boiled water (cool it down first to preserve the hormone).
• Leave it in the water for 24 hours and filter it.

If you want to grow young plants from cuttings put it in the juice and leave the cuttings of the mother plant for 24 hours in it. After that put it in the moist substrate or sand and cover it with nylon or plastic bottle (cut the bottom of the bottle and remove the plug).

Use willow juice whenever replanting the plant (put it in the juice and leave it for a second). 

Useful tip: Make a solution of water and willow juice (1:2) and spray it on the leaves of the plant to encourage flowering. You can also add some juice in the water for the watering and encourage the growth of the both plant and the roots. 

Happy gardening! :)

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