Lonicera Q:

zen

To whom it may be answerable,
When would be the best time to do a drastic trunk chop on honeysuckle?
There is a rather large one (about 4-6 inches around the base, haven't seen the base in a while) growing in the woods next to my house, I would like to dig this guy up, probably near spring next yr. unless it would be prefectly ok to chop it then dig it when it puts out a pretty good bit of new growth
Thanks goes out to Joanie and her tiny loniceras for reminding me of this one.

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"Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity, and that wherever it is so applied it lends an unmistakable quality to the work."

~ Alan Watts (1915-1973)

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zen

Bump?

__________________
"Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity, and that wherever it is so applied it lends an unmistakable quality to the work."

~ Alan Watts (1915-1973)

Kernunnos

I would wait until nearly spring, just before the growing season starts and I would take as much of the rootbal as possible, gradually reducing the pot size every year at repotting time.

It probably has a massive tap root.

Joanie

Zen, do you have an outdoor growing area now? I don't remember, but if you don't have an outdoor place, the honeysuckle won't do well inside.

Honeysuckle are pretty strong, but you might want to do this in two steps... cut the top way back now, and spade around it, and then collect it in early spring. They grow roots very quickly.

Alternately, the safest way is to airlayer. They take to airlayering very well. You just have to keep the airlayering medium wet.

Joanie

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zen

Oh yeah, all my trees live outside. I will chop it soon and spade an area about 2 feet around all the way at once, then come spring it's coming out, and will be put into a large pot to begin branch training while it still has a good root system. Here's the thing, once I chop it do I need to really keep on the new growth and cut it back as it gains the girth that I want, or should I plan on just regrowing all new branches after I dig it? Upon digging would I hard prune then or wait and try to drag all the new shoots with it?

__________________
"Although profoundly "inconsequential," the Zen experience has consequences in the sense that it may be applied in any direction, to any conceivable human activity, and that wherever it is so applied it lends an unmistakable quality to the work."

~ Alan Watts (1915-1973)

Craig Cowing

You can cut back to a stump and collect it at the same time. I've done it many times. The spring would be fine. There is no point to collecting it in the fall unless it's in danger. Wait till spring.

THe thing you should take into consideration is how high to cut it back. Cut it back higher than you want, say 18" for that size trunk, because you will have to do carving. There is no way in one lifetime to develop taper on these, so you have to carve it in. Also, there is a tendency towards dieback. By havin a taller trunk you will encourage new growth higher up on the trunk(s).

Don't bother with an airlayer. THere's a great nebari underground, I can almost guarantee it.

Good luck!

Craig Cowing

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I'm not finished yet, neither are my trees.

Schiavo

This is great info - I found a honeysuckle in the woods and have already received permission to collect it. this week I am gonna chop it and spade around it - then in the spring collect it and plant it.

My only question is - after collecting it next spring, should it go into the ground or into a large training pot?

Thanks!
Adam

Craig Cowing

Put it right in a training pot. It will do fine.

Craig Cowing

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I'm not finished yet, neither are my trees.

Joanie

Or a wooden growing box. They work great!

Joanie

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