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Recovering a Weeping Willow After Ice Storm Damage

After an ice storm breaks upper branches, a weeping willow may leaf out only on the lower third. Prune out all dead wood back to live tissue. The lower branches will gradually assume the upper canopy form over several years. Fertilize with 10-10-10 at 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter in spring and late summer to support regrowth.

Willows are resilient. Avoid wound dressings. With time and nutrition, the tree will regain its graceful shape, though a slight crook may remain where the top was lost.

Trees: Weeping Willow with Bark Loss and Deformity: Internal Decay, Removal Advised; Weeping Willow Red Spiky Patches: Adventitious (Air) Roots, Not Borers—Harmless, Dry Up; Willow Tree Partial Leaf Yellowing: Water Needs and Trunk Check; Cleveland Pear Sudden Death: Fire Blight or Regional Decline?; Scale on Weeping Willow: Baking Soda Won’t Work—Use Proper Insecticide; Weeping Willow Decline: Roundup Drift vs. Borer Damage; Transplanted Weeping Willow Not Growing: Likely Dead; Pruning Weeping Mulberry: Trim Low Branches, Avoid Drastic Cuts; Weeping Willow Borer Infestation: Identification and Treatment; Weeping Willow Near House & Drain: Root Concerns & Growth Regulators

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