Soaking Times for Willow
Please remember that willow takes patience and some trial and error. Many factors can affect the soaking times needed to get the rods where you want them. Temperature is the most important influence. Warmer water soaks in faster. If you’re soaking outside, consider ambient temperature and weather conditions, they will change how long you need to leave the willow in the water. Soaking outside in winter is going to take longer, hot summer months may go more quickly.
Brown Willow: (Dry willow with the bark on)1 day per foot. (ex: 5 ft willow needs 5 days soaking time)Buff Willow: (Boiled and Stripped willow. No bark and a bit tan in color)1-2 hoursWhite Willow: (Stripped willow. No bark and white in color)1-2 hoursMellowing Willow
Mellowing willow makes a real difference! Once you’ve soaked your rods, remove them from the water and wrap them in a damp cloth or towel. Use an old sheet, painters’ cloth, blanket, or similar fabric. Leave the wrapped rods for about a day so residual water can soak in and the rods can even out their moisture content. You will have much nicer material to work with than if you’d gone straight from soaking to weaving.