Valentine's Day Flower Arranging Tips for Forsythia and Willow Branches

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Forsythia and willow branches are ideal for winter flower arrangements, bringing vibrant color to homes just in time for Valentine's Day. These branches can be cut and placed in water, where they quickly bloom, with forsythia flowers and fluffy willow catkins appearing within days. It's important to cut the branches at an angle for optimal water uptake and to monitor the water level closely. Additionally, willow cuttings can develop roots in water, allowing for future planting once spring arrives. This method offers a cost-effective and natural way to enjoy seasonal blooms indoors.
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It's that time of year again, when winter seems endless, and you'd like to have a little color around the house. Here is a vase of forsythia and willow branches cut from my neighbor's bushes, and they are already flowering after just a couple of days in the water. Fluffy willow catkins, and bright forsythia flowers. As the yellow flowers peak, the forsythia branches will put out fresh leaves.

If you want to do this for your own home or a friend's, now is the perfect time. The forsythia and willow should be peaking right around Valentine's day. You can use pruning shears to cut the branches if you want, but you must re-cut the bases of the twigs cleanly, at an angle, for best water up-take. I recommend using a utility knife. Watch the water level in the vase very closely for the first couple of days, as the cuttings will take up a lot more water than you might expect, and you don't want the ends of the cuttings to dry out. Good luck! (Get right on it, jimmy!)

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turbo-1 said:
Get right on it, jimmy!
Will do. Thanks for reminding me.
 
jimmysnyder said:
Will do. Thanks for reminding me.
No problem!

We like to do this every winter to get a little color into the house. It's fun to watch the catkins, flowers, and leaves developing day-by-day. It happens very quickly.
 
BTW, when you put willow branches in water like this, they develop root systems very quickly, so don't throw them out. Pot them and keep them until the ground is ready for transplanting, and re-plant them some place that has plenty of moisture in the ground, or where you can at least water them from time to time. The pussywillow stems in my arrangement are from a fasciated willow that gets quirky-looking curving stems due to the flattening. I hope to have a hedge of them started on the edge of the side lawn after propagating cuttings for several years.
 
Consumer holidays!
 
Pythagorean said:
Consumer holidays!
Well, my wife and I don't do cards, flowers, candy, etc, but freshly-flowering FREE cuttings are a nice touch. Hallmark and Tele-Florist make enough money without us.
 
A simple card, even on handmade on the computer would be nice. A nice quiet dinner out of the house is sometimes nice, or even a candle light dinner at home.

Natural or regional flowers would be obviously difficult in the winter. V-day should be moved to April or May, but even then the only flowers might be crocuses.

I would prefer to give potted flowers for planting in the garden.


Here's a nice, natural one that resides in a pond/lake a few miles from my house.
 

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I just made the cuttings. It's a simple matter of time now before we have spring in the depths of winter. Forsythia is one of my wife's favorites.
 
Astronuc said:
A simple card, even on handmade on the computer would be nice. A nice quiet dinner out of the house is sometimes nice, or even a candle light dinner at home.

Natural or regional flowers would be obviously difficult in the winter.
My wife and I had a nice quiet dinner tonight. She made the salad, and I grilled the sirloins. Mmm.

Forsythias and shrubby willows are excellent sources of free blooms and foliage in the winter. Just cut some branches (winter is a great time for pruning, anyway) bring the cuttings into the house and put them in water. Free flowers! And pussywillows. The willow variety that my neighbor has gets nice long fuzzy catkins and attractive foliage. He and I are both going to save our cuttings and pot them after they root and replant them in the spring.
 
  • #10
jimmysnyder said:
I just made the cuttings. It's a simple matter of time now before we have spring in the depths of winter. Forsythia is one of my wife's favorites.
OK, now just KEEP the kisses! Don't save them up for me.
 
  • #11
turbo-1 said:
OK, now just KEEP the kisses! Don't save them up for me.
Too late, I already gave them back. One of the benefits of this particular commercial holiday.
 
  • #12
I hope I get some flowers or something for Valentines Day. Anyone want to send me some, or do I just have to hope that some poor guy will give me some attention around here, lol.


jk, I have me a man, weather or not he will get me something, just a nice compliment on the day will do :biggrin:
 
  • #13
Great timing turbo-1. The buds started blossoming today and will be in full bloom tomorrow, Valentine's Day.
 
  • #14
mcknia07 said:
I hope I get some flowers or something for Valentines Day. Anyone want to send me some, or do I just have to hope that some poor guy will give me some attention around here, lol.


jk, I have me a man, weather or not he will get me something, just a nice compliment on the day will do :biggrin:
I'm pretty sure I will get nothing either, same as the nothing I got for Christmas, well, not until I mentioned that I at least expected to get a free e-card and gave them links to get free cards. :frown:
 
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  • #15
drewniane_kwiaty.jpg


Flowers for Evo :smile:
 
  • #16
Borek said:
drewniane_kwiaty.jpg


Flowers for Evo :smile:
Awww, for mcknia too.
 
  • #17
Awe, :biggrin: thanks. Glad someone got me something, lol. They are beautiful!
 
  • #18
What a great looking flowers, way to go folks. I am sure she was impressed.
 

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