willow tree

can some one help me. I`ve had to replant a willow tree as it was a dying dwarf willow tree when i got it so i put it close to the house and gave it a lot of TLC, and now the dwarf part is now dead and it`s about 15ft tall so I`ve had to move it to the back garden but, the spot were it gone to has a red ants nest by it will this be a problem and is there anything i can do to help it along till the roots regrow back again (tried to save as many as i could) as the spot is open to the wind i have tied it to the fence i think it`s a purple willow tree looked the leafs up on line.
any help greatly appreciated thank you

 

I think the ants have got to it as it looks like it`s dieing all the leaves have gone brown and it`s branshes are starting to lisp

 

Willow is a thirsty tree. Ants like dry soil. My guess is if there are ants nesting near the base then the soil may be too dry for willow. Also if ants have dug their nest in among the roots, the roots may not be getting good contact with the soil anymore.

 

I think it`s fed up of being moved, the hot weather has not been conducive to moving trees.:thumb:

 

now the top half is just about dead but the bottom half has got new shoots growing?? whats going on i think i`ll stick to my apple tree as that growing fine and so is my blackcurrant bush, not so sure about my cherry tree it growing very slow i think the clay soil not so good for it..

 

Willow is as tough as old boots. If all the moves and the ants nest stressed it enough for the top half to die off, the chances are (as has happened here) the roots have survived, and have finally got themselves comfy. If you are certain the top half is dead, I'd chop it down to the lowest two or three side shoots in winter. Those side shoots will aim skywards and make a new tree in a few years.

 

it looks like the top half is leaning 1 way but the new growth is on the other side so pass but it looks like the ants have moved on now so it could be that why it come back to life

 

i think the ants did not like me watering there home to much o well i think tree liked it

 

We had a new small weeping willow that kept dying back. Just wasn't happy in the situation it was planted. Eventually we moved it to a very large pot having cut it back to all but six inches. The stump was kept well watered and soon sprouted. When it had started to outgrow the pot we found a new location and replanted it. We keep it well watered and now two years later is very happy and growing rapidly. It has reached about two and a half meters in height in that time. Willows do need a lot of water, but it would seem can take very drastic pruning.

 

hello again do`s anyone think I should chop some some off the top of this if so about where??