By Clairehunt
United Kingdom 
My husband was strimmer happy and has strimmed a ring of bark off a newly planted willow. After I have buried him, is there any way of wrapping this up to help preserve it's short life? (The willow that is.) If so with what? I understand that this is a sure way to kill a tree....... I only planted it 2 weeks ago and it is a very young plant. The diameter of the plant would only be about 1.5 cms so this is a serious set back. Do you fancy it has any chance? Thanks for your time. Claire Hunt
2 Apr, 2011
Answers
Agree with Bamboo, but as it is a willow, you may find it will send up new growth from below the ring, if that happens you can replace the leader.
3 Apr, 2011
Unless its a Kilmarnock Willow - that's grafted at the top, so anything coming from below the graft isn't something you'll want.
3 Apr, 2011
Hi clairehunt,
my hubby's dropped a ladder on a malus sapling year before last and broke the poor thing of its grafted stem. He tapped it on with duct tape ( I guess he thought I wouldn't notice) and the tree is looking great this season, lots of buds and last autumn it had loads of beautifull crab apples on it, so you never know, your willow may survive.
Happy gardening.
3 Apr, 2011
Previous question
Hmm, bad news if the ring is complete all around the outside. You could try taping it with horticultural tape (I use masking tape when I've not got any) but I'm not sure it'll do much. Might be worth a try.
2 Apr, 2011