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Japanese honeysuckle

 
gardener
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Good morning friends!
I’ve had a Japanese honeysuckle problem in the woodlands for a couple years. Now it’s gotten so prolific that it’s reached my farming areas. Herbicides are not an option! Besides continuing my losing battle of battle of cutting the vines does anyone have a game plan against this menace?
 
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Our honeysuckle doesn't root deeply. I would target pigs on the perimeter. Also, it doesn't like fields and competes poorly with higher covers. Running goats through a twice a year would certainly help, they prefer honeysuckle and brambles. You won't eradicate it, but you can decrease the burden. I actually like it better than multiflora or wisteria orEnglish ivy or other stuff that could be coming in from the edge.
 
Scott Stiller
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Thanks for the reply TJ! This is an edge, woodland to planting area. It would have to be a taller cover that could handle a good amount of shade.
 
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I'm reclaiming open brambles and edge woodland from Japanese honeysuckle.  My intention is not to eliminate it, as it's May bloom scent is ecstatic.  But I've found that it is discouraged by several techniques.  

It hates being mowed.  

Pulling it out by it's shallow roots discourages it.  This practice can almost be recreational in some moods.  And then mulch heavily.  Left on the ground, the cut and yanked pieces don't try to re-root, but expire quickly.

Along the edge of the woods, it swarms up the trees and smothers them.  I take hand clippers to the trunk area and clip clip clip all the way through and down to the soil.  Clipping that close discourages re-growth.

Now, I've noticed when working in the blackberries and clipping honeysuckle in the growing season, the aerial stems can grow a foot or more overnight.  My attack season is late winter, especially in the brambles.  Foot access and visibility are better.  Honeysuckle leafs out very early.
 
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