The Poultry Keeper

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 383 Location: Lincolnshire

I've got loads of coppiced willow.

Any ideas as to what I could do with the long stems.

Very Happy

jaydee67 · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:43 am Post subject:

Oh lucky you! Baskets?

CP · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:49 am Post subject:

Make an arbour in the garden?

Stujan · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 465 Location: East Sussex

Spray them with silver paint or Gold put them up the corner in your house and hang lights on them for Xmas, use them as a growing frame for climbers, or if you have some small ones you could make a thingy for hang photo's on well may be. or make tall cones for growing beans or plants, you could even make a novel xmas tree. Jan Smile

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 383 Location: Lincolnshire

Thanks for the ideas I expect i need to work with them while they're fresh and bendy. Not sure how to join pieces together I supose I could use wire Confused

jaydee67 · Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject:

If the bark is still on you can use them as is after a couple of weeks of drying or soak them in water to get them supple later on. Roughly a day per foot (3' soak 3 days etc)

Stujan · Joined: 05 Jul 2008 Posts: 465 Location: East Sussex

When you want to use them slowly curl them into a very hot bath then manipulate them into whatever shape you wish, as they dry they will retain the shape you wanted minus a bit of spring back. (here comes the science bit!) They are thermo-pliable when hot and thermo-stable when cold. The spring back is called bio memory.
Now forget the science bit and make something fantastic! Very Happy