Can I cut low limbs off of my weeping willow now?

I planted a small weeping willow this spring. We had a really late freeze with snow and ice and I really thought it was a gonner. I planted the silly thing in the hole left from an old rotten tree stump. It has grown like crazy this summer!!

Can I cut off some of the lower branches now or should I wait until spring??

Just trying to get a jump on spring chores by trying to get some of them done now.

I'd wait until late winter. This is a willow and willows by habit will grow branches right back to the ground in short order. Keep the loppers handy. I hope you have it safely away from any sewer line not made of plastic composit material or a septic system. Those roots can destroy a septic system. I love big weeping willows. There is no more graceful tree, especially at waterside. But you do have to careful where you plant them.

Uh, crap... The septic tank is in the same part of the yard maybe 200 feet way. Like I said, I planted this where an old tree stood and it seems to me that it is following its old root system. It has grown WAY more than normal and when I water it, I bet it takes close to 200 gallons before the hole is filled. When first planted it took water like a normal new tree. It has to have opened up some old holes somewhere.
My husband will only kill me dead if my tree causes septic problems. Hope the septic treatment works!!

I'm sorry to give you this bad news, but you should most definitely, positively and absolutely remove that willow now!!! There is no coexistence between a willow and a septic system. There is no treatment that will keep the septic system out of trouble and extremely costly repairs. Septic systems provide nutrient rich water that no willow can resist and they have massive invasvie root systems. Be a heroine. Tell hubby that you did some research and to save the family budget you're going to replace that tree with somenhing more suitable.

Wow, and it was doing so good there too. Dang, goodbye willow tree.

I'm soooooooo glad you're doing that. I understand the desire to have a willow. Easy to grow and beautiful. But the root sustems are a horrible, water seeking, expensive menace. There are just oodles of trees better suited for your situation. Do a little research to learn about hardiness, height and width at maturity, root system invasiveness, soil and light requirements, so you can choose a tree that fits your situation. Then you won't be planting a tree, you will be planting a legacy.

I love willows - my grandparents had them on the farm blocking view from house to dry lot. I loved playing under them, the branches touched the ground and made a great "tent". I don't have the heart to kill this one off, I will dig it up and move it to the other side of the yard. Neighbors and their septic systems are far enough away there that it won't cause problems.

Thanks for the advice - I would sure hate to have septic problems that are preventable.

Lori