Why a Besom Still Earns Its Keep

A besom is not a museum piece. On a smallholding it is the broom you reach for when leaves have gathered on gravel, when grass clippings are blocking a path, or when the workshop floor needs a quick sweep without raising a cloud of dust. Birch twigs have a spring and a bite that plastic bristles cannot match, and they wear down gradually rather than snapping off in brittle handfuls. Making one from winter-cut birch, bound with hazel or willow, is one of the most useful country crafts you can learn. It turns a pile of hedgerow cuttings into a tool that will last for years.

Cutting Birch at the Right Time

The old rule is to cut birch when the sap is down. In most of the UK that means late January to early March, before the buds begin to break. Silver birch and downy birch both make good besoms. Look for coppiced stools, low side shoots, or branches that need thinning anyway. The best twigs are two to four feet long, pencil-thick to little-finger thickness, straight enough to bundle but flexible enough to bend without cracking. Use loppers, secateurs, or a sharp billhook, and make clean cuts. Never strip a tree bare; take a few twigs from each stool and leave plenty of growth for next season.

• Cut on a dry, frost-free day so the twigs are not brittle.
• Choose twigs with fine side growth, as these make the sweeping head full.
• Bundle as you go with twine or baler band, keeping the cut ends together.
• Leave the strongest stems to grow on for future coppice cycles.

Sorting, Soaking and Storing

Back in the shed, spread the bundles on a bench and sort the twigs by length and thickness. Remove any leaves, moss, dead wood, or twigs that snap when bent. Fresh winter-cut birch is usually pliable, but if the twigs feel dry and stiff, soak them in a trough or old bath for twelve to twenty-four hours. Drain them well before use. A full-sized besom will take two or three good armfuls of twigs, so do not be mean with the bundle. Sort them into long, medium, and short piles. The short twigs form the core of the head, the medium ones fill it out, and the longest give the besom its wide, sweeping skirt.

Building the Head

You will need a handle: a straight hazel or ash rod, about five to six feet long and thumb-thick. Seasoned wood is stronger, but green hazel is easier to shape and will tighten as it dries. Lay the handle on a bench or across a pair of trestles. Arrange the shortest birch twigs around the handle first, cut ends upwards, then add the medium and long twigs in layers. The cut ends should sit at the top of the head, with the tips fanning out at the bottom. Bind the bundle temporarily with cord so you can check the shape. The neck should be tight around the handle, and the skirt should flare evenly. A good besom is balanced: heavy enough to sweep, light enough to use all morning.

• Keep the handle centred as you build the layers.
• Add twigs a handful at a time, turning the bundle as you go.
• Check the length of the skirt against your height and the job in hand.
• Trim any wild twigs with secateurs before the final binding.

Binding with Hazel or Willow

Willow withies are the traditional binding. Cut them in winter, soak them overnight, and use them bark-on. Hazel rods work just as well: cut thin, flexible rods, split them lengthways, and soak the strips until they are supple. Start at the neck of the besom and wrap tightly downwards over the twigs, then wrap back upwards, crossing the first layer. Tuck the end under the last wrap and pull it tight. Add a second band a hand's width below the neck. If you want extra security, drive a seasoned hazel peg through the binding and the handle. Then hang the besom in a dry shed to dry slowly. As the birch shrinks, the binding may loosen; tap the head on the floor and re-tighten it before the besom goes into service.

Using and Caring for Your Besom

Sweep with short strokes and let the tips do the work. A besom is ideal for leaves, gravel, grass clippings, workshop shavings, and kitchen garden paths. Avoid wet mud, standing water, and dragging the bristles across rough concrete, as these shorten its life. Store it hanging in a dry shed, with the bristles clear of the floor, or stand it on the handle end if space is tight. If it gets soaked, dry it naturally away from a hot stove. When the head loosens, rebind it with fresh willow or hazel; the handle and most of the twigs will carry on for years. A small hand besom made from shorter twigs is handy for the greenhouse, shed, or hearth. Every winter cut encourages fresh birch growth, keeps the hedgerow open, and leaves you with a tool that feels good in the hand.