Topic: Standard willow dieback now flowering...what is going on?

[Deb P]

My mother has a 5ft standard drooping willow in a large pot, she has had it about a year and has watered it reliably.

Last month it suddenly developed a lot of brown leaves, all went totally brown. It now has lots of fat buds and new leaves starting to shoot ot, and more worryingly, quite a few 'girl thingy willow' catkins, at this time of the year! She says she has been watering it regularly (she uses a moisture meter so I have no reason to doubt this!) and fed it once last month with growmore granules...any idea what might be wrong? Should we be worried it is flowring now? ???

[Deb P]

No one got any ideas then....? :-\

[goodlife]

Is there any chance that the growmore would have caused scorch to the roots and that's why the leaves went brown?
After loosing the leaves the willow propably got confused.. ??? ::)
Anything is possible this year...I've got some hyacinths flowering in work..they must think it is spring too  ::)

[Deb P]

It is indeed very odd...I asked mum how much grow more she put on and she said she followed the instructions, so no clues there, at least it is producing new leaves, every one went crispy brown!

[green lily]

Guess it interpreted the 'dying off' period threat and now putting it's resources into reproducing itself in case it dies. Most living things do that to maintain the species. Perhaps a larger pot would help it to feel more secure?

[Deb P]

Possibly, it is already in quite a big pot and was a new purchased plant last year so the compost shouldn't be that bad.....in theory!