Working with bark-off willow in hot weather
22 June 2026
White willow, buff willow and buff noir willow all behave differently in warm weather, but they share one common problem: they can become unworkable surprisingly quickly.
Summer weaving often means working faster, thinking ahead, and adjusting the order in which parts of the basket are completed.
Work somewhere cool if possible
Direct sun, warm conservatories, greenhouses and windy outdoor spaces will dry bark-off willow rapidly, particularly fine rods.
A cool shed, shaded workshop or north-facing space is usually far easier to work in during hot weather. Air movement is often just as important as temperature. Even a warm breeze can dry willow surprisingly quickly.
Avoid leaving rods spread out unnecessarily while working.
Work in the evening or early morning when the day is at its coolest.
Sort your willow before you begin
In hot weather, it helps enormously if the willow is already:
- graded and counted out for each section being woven
- checked for branchiness and faults
Trying to sort material as you weave wastes valuable time and allows rods to dry out unnecessarily.
Having rods prepared in advance for base stakes and weavers, upright stakes and weavers etc. Usually makes summer weaving much easier.
Work the basket in stages
In hot weather, it is often better to concentrate on one area of the basket at a time rather than trying to complete everything in a single session.
For example:
- complete the base in one section
- tackle the side weaving separately
- consider allowing the uprights to dry back slightly before bordering
- then re-soak those uprights when ready to border
This approach is often particularly useful with white willow, where repeated wetting and over-soaking can quickly turn the material grey.
Buff noir willow often works well straight from the tank
Buff noir willow will often work perfectly straight from the soaking tank with little or no mellowing, particularly during warm weather.
Weaves that do not require particularly tight turns, such as three rod wale, French rand and English rand, can usually be worked successfully straight from the tank provided the material has been soaked correctly.
Keep mellowing short in summer
Warm weather accelerates moisture movement very quickly.
In summer conditions, bark-off willow can easily move from properly mellowed to over-softened if left wrapped for too long.
If mellowing is required:
- keep it short
- consider using a damp towel and possibly plastic
- mellow somewhere cool, avoiding warm rooms and direct sunlight
- avoid strong airflow
Work quickly and confidently
There is often a temptation in hot weather to stop repeatedly and spray the willow constantly while weaving.
Light spraying is perfectly acceptable and can help maintain surface flexibility during longer sessions.
However, speed often solves more problems than spraying alone.
The longer bark-off willow sits exposed to heat and airflow, the more unevenly it tends to behave. Keeping momentum in the weave usually produces cleaner results than repeatedly stopping and rewetting.
Avoid over-soaking white willow
White willow is particularly unforgiving if left too long in water during warm conditions.
Over-soaking can lead to:
- dulling of the surface
- grey discolouration
- patchy staining
- lifeless appearance
The same applies to excessive wrapping, prolonged storage under damp towels or blankets, or sweating in plastic for too long.
Once white willow has turned grey, it is usually very difficult to recover the original clean colour.
Austrian Grey white and Black Maul white behave differently
Austrian Grey white and Black Maul white can behave very differently during soaking and weaving, particularly in hot weather. Take a look at our handy help and advice for more information.
In summary
Good bark-off willow takes time to grow, harvest, process, and properly prepare.
White willow and buff noir in particular are expensive materials compared with brown willow, so careful soaking and sensible summer working practices make a real difference.
In hot weather, preparation, timing and speed are often the difference between clean, bright willow and material that has gone limp, grey or difficult to control.
Related help and advice
- Soaking times for different willow varieties
- How to soak buff and brown willow for weaving
- Seasonal variation in soaking and mellowing willow
- How to soak white willow for weaving
Buff noir willow soaking times and tips
White willow soaking times and tips
Buff willow soaking times and tips
Buff willow soaking times and tips
Coloured willow soaking times and tips
Willow tops soaking times and tips
