2ofus...I am in Wisconsin zone 5.... We had a Honeysuckle bush years ago and decided to take it out because it was in the way of adding an attached garage. We had kept the height down pretty well and we didn't think it would be too hard. Needless to say we ended up wrapping a chain around the bush and using the truck to pull it out, it was in solid. No way we could have gotten it out with just digging. Around our area you can torture them pretty good and they can take it without dying back. Quite a few consider it invasive. ...we have planted the vines where we live now, I am hoping we won't be sorry in a few years. One plant died the first winter so we replaced it, I am hoping they both make it this spring. We put it on the sides of our bird pergola and it made it up to the top...I figured it was good for the birds to hide in from the hawks.
Well, I said I wasn't going to order a lot of plants as my flower beds are pretty well full now...however... I am re-doing the front bed sooo, I ordered Bright eyes Phlox for some height, Stacy's 'pink cotton', Vera Jamison sedum and will add them to the blue Veronica and volunteer alyssum that is already there. I also ordered Midnight Owl Masterwort and Spigelia for the shade garden and for my hanging pots Heuchella Gold Cascade and Redstone Falls plus Ajuga Burgandy Glow. I do want to get a couple of evergreen shrubs for winter color in the front and I'm done!....maybe
Thanks Sherry for the info. We have not used horse poo before. But our friends get some great composted horse poo from a guy that is not to far from us. Their garden grows like mad. He is an organic farmer so maybe that makes a difference. 2ofus--This last spring I had to cut our Honeysuckle vine almost back to the ground. The support it was on blew over and there was no way we could save it. So because the vine was so intwined around the support we cut it back. By the end of the summer it was growing back and looked beautiful.
2ofus- Just a quick comment about your Honeysuckle if I may; I have tackled a few overgrown Honeysuckle vines in my years of landscape maintenance. When they get very overgrown and a tangled mess, I cut them all the way down. It does not take long for them to grow back, and refreshes the plant's appearance. Then you can train it if it has a trellis. As for my gardens this spring- I always begin by cutting down the Sweet Autumn Clematis that covers most of my fences. I need to do some trimming soon on several shrubs that have gotten so large. Late winter is a good time for this task, as you can see the structure of the plant without its leaves. Speaking of leaves; I am resisting the urge to get them cleaned out of the flower beds just yet. It is tempting when the weather is nice, but they are still providing good cover for now. Where I live, winter can be stubborn to leave. So, I'm patiently waiting...
Okay! Thank you, Sherry, Tooty2, and Kay! I'm going prune it down to about 8 inches and then start removing all the vines that are woven in the trellis.
