Sounds like you've finally cracked it. Hope all goes well from now on.
Incidentally, cats don't eat cacti - they like soft squeaky things!
Regards.
Spider
Earnest Trawler wrote in message
...
Had a look at it this evening, had to lift the tree and all the compost
out
in one rather heavy lump as it was rather badly rootbound. The compost was
much drier that I would have expected in view of the amount of water I
give
it. There is no damage that I can see other that a lot of dried out
leaves.

I have trimmed the rootball to about half it's size, replanted it with
plenty of new compost with pearlite and a top dressing of grit, have put
far
fewer crocks in the bottom to reduce the drainage a bit and removed the
worst affected branches. I also put a cane and string "fence" around it in
case it is a cat problem, it probably isn't, but the teeth marks in some
of
my cacti are a little suspicious. :-)

Just have to wait and see.

Regards, Earnest Trawler

"Spider" wrote in message
...
Glad to help .. if I have.
Don't be too hard on the cats. You may have foxes in your area, and
they
could aim higher! Check the height of the damage before you start
pulling
whiskers out!. Good luck.
Spider.
Earnest Trawler wrote in message
...
Thanks again for the suggestions.

A four-legged cause is quite possible, I have six cats, several of ny
neighbours have cats too, shall have to have words with them. :-) That
could
well explain the suddeness of it. I will lift it and take a look at
the
rootball over the weekend, give it a trim and add some fresh compost.
It's
in an 80 litre planter which cost rather more than the tree, so that's
going
to be it's permanent home.

Earnest Trawler

"Spider" wrote in message
...
If this willow is the potential giant I associate with pond-side
planting,
it is possible it has outgrown its pot .. used up the soil until
there
is
nothing left to retain water. Although it seems unlikely after just
three
months, there must be a considerable root mass to support that extra
2'
of
growth. If you investigate the rootball, you will learn how quickly
the
root is spreading, and even if it is damaged. It may help to do
some
remedial root-pruning if you want to keep it in the same container,
or
pot
on to a bigger pot if you want natural growth.

I'm sure your feeding regime is appropriate since you have several
other
willows in pots, so it can't be starvation.
My only other guess is that it may have been 'watered' by something
with
four legs. If this is likely, then a good flushing out of the soil
with
more water will continue the dilution process.
It would certainly help to keep the tree shaded until its health
improves.

Sorry can't help further without more clues, but will check my RHS
guide
for
diseases of Salix when I get a minute.
SPIDER