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I have a pussy willow that has rooted. It was part of a floral arrangement that I used to stage my condo while I was selling it. Now I have moved to a house with a garden so I would love to plant the rooted pussy willow.
Is it too late to plant it outside (right now it is Oct 6th and I live in Toronto)? Will it have time to get accustomed to the ground before it freezes?
If it is too late, can I overwinter it until springtime planting it on a pot?
I've just checked the weather forecast for your area for the next few days, which does not show any really cold temperatures - if you have not yet had freezing temperatures, and day time temperatures have been around 12-15 deg C, the soil should still be holding some warmth, so now is absolutely the time to plant your willow. Water well after planting, and during any prolonged dry spells during October. Get it in as soon as possible though, not sure when you expect really cold weather where you are - in the UK, our temps are currently remarkably similar to yours, and I'd expect it to start being really cold in November, not October.
This answer assumes that your 'pussy willow' is actually hardy in your area - I don't know which willow you actually mean.
UPDATE; You've said its Salix discolor, fully hardy where you are, plant somewhere that doesn't dry out too much and bear in mind its eventual size - 20 feet tall by 12-16 feet wide.
Do it. Pussywillows are tough. If you can dig the hole, you can plant the tree. Roots will stay active until the ground freezes hard.
Be even with your packing. Late fall planting results in non-consolidated soil when it freezes. This is more likely to heave. Now you don't really care that it heaves, but you do want the tree to stay plumb. With a shrub this isn't as big a concern.
