Do you have an unheated garage or basement?

Yes, my garage is not heated.

Right now they are in my dining room in a bucket of water.

You could pot them up and keep them in the garage (against the wall on the side of the house if the garage is connected to the house).

If I were you, I'd throw those cuttings out and start fresh in spring now that you know how quickly & easily willow roots.

That would be ideal but these were taken from a tree that has sentimental value that is now cut down so I really want these to make it.

Take tree. Plant tree in ground. Walk away.

Got that?

So straight from a bucket of water in my dining room to the ground upstateupstate? Seems to easy 😂

It's probably the best bet right now.

It's still warm, and not getting cold soon, so it has time to acclimate to outside. There is a difference between water roots and soil roots, but hopefully willows can make the transition easily. Less adaptable plants can take ages to make that transition, so water rooting isn't advised. We are just going to skate over that part. I'll just say that if they were potted, there would be more choices. We are also going to just skate over exactly what you mean by 'weeping willow'. From what I've read, Salix x babylonica isn't hardy where I am, and I don't see them. What I see as weeping willows is really Salix alba. I am assuming these cuttings are going to be planted near where the parent plant thrived.
Speaking of the parent plant, there is a big difference between cutting down a willow and killing it. I can think of at least three Salix albas which were pruned down to about six inches a few years ago, and are now about 50 ft tall.

ETA: I should have asked in my first post, what is your definition of 'upstate'? When my daughter was at college, she asked five different New Yorkers what, exactly, was 'upstate', and she got five different answers.

please provide your source with links.. indicating that dormant plants in winter will root freeely ... in pots while dormant ... to me this seems entirely wrong seasoned ..

will roots vvery frrely when the tree is actively growing.. just cut 6 to 8i inch budded stinks.. and jam them in pots in spring.. and by fall you ought to have a good percent for planting.. same with poplar ...

there seems no real reason to do it in winter ..

have you referenced dirrs manual on propagation of woody plants??? .. maybe your library has a copy ... its is the topic bible ... if you are relying on random websites.. good luck with that ...

trees are not houseplants.. get them out of the house immediately .... you dont mention where you are.. big city name.. so i have no idea whats possible outdoors ...

ken

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffcm&q=dirrs+manual+on+propagation+of+woody+plants&ia=web

I live on Long Island in Bellmore which is in Nassau county New York, i plan on planting them in Deleware county new york, near oneonta.

yikes.. now i see the sentimental part now ...

how many do you have.. i would shotgun the approach ...

put a couple in a pot with moist media.. and put in the cold side of the garage ..

put a few in mother earth.. and protect them from vermin ... full shade .. and even better if they get covered with snow ...

and i would put a couple in a pot and put it against the north side of the house.. same with snow.. and if the is not eave.. tip the pot on the side..in late winter.. so winter thaw and early rain.. doesnt accumulate in the pots ...

will nest to poplar and forsythia should root very easily ... so i wish you luck ... we really do want them to stay dormant.. so get them out of the house.. asap ... everything will happen in spring..

ken

I have about 10.

One more option would be to stick them in the ground in my now empty vegetable garden and then dig them up and transplant in the spring, i have no idea if this is a good idea or horrible idea.

Other wise I will stick with your other suggestions and hope one works.

Thanks for your help, this was a rush job due to sentimental value.

the veg garden is fine ... just protect from rabbits .. or mice ... an upside down cardboard box with a couple stakes to hold it in place.. keeps away most vermin.. open at the top is fine ... we just want a barrier.. not a tomb.. it will also reduce winter winds.. which are horrible to sticks with no roots ... and thats why snow cover is great also ...no wind ...

do understand.... yo better have a few acres for a willow tree.. they really arent suburban backyard trees .. think park or golf course.. not half acre lot .... you might be further ahead.. in tree time.. if you lose this ....

ken

These will be planted on many acres around a pond that is about an acre, the "parent tree" is from a property next door it was also planted around a pond.

My property at home with my vegetable garden is not big but hopefully big enough to hold the cuttings until spring.