Zaide Reuven’s Aravos (Willow)

Growing Your Own Aravos
Growing your own Aravos is really easy. You can have all the arava you want for your lulav bundle and hoshanos and you don’t have to worry about the arava getting damaged in shipment.

It Is Really Fast
Take some willow stems and cut them into 3-6” lengths. Place them, the correct way up, in a jar of fresh water, about two inches deep. Do not worry if the leaves fall off. Watch the stems for 1-2 weeks and you will see roots beginning to form. When the roots are 1-2” long plant each stem in its own pot – about 2 to 4” size with potting soil. Keep very moist. After 2-3 weeks transfer them to a larger pot, or, if before it gets frosty, you can plant them in a sunny location away from water pipes. It is a hiddur to plant them near a stream as the Torah calls them “arvei nahal” (willow of the brook).