Hello, I have a honeysuckle vine that is over 30 years old! It came with the home I bought in 2003. It has yellow/white flowers and is very fragrant. I believe it to be a Hall's Honeysuckle, but I can honestly say it is not invasive as others say. It grows on part of my chain link fence that surrounds my property. It is about 7 ft. high and is about 8 ft. wide. It hasn't grown anywhere else in my yard, nor does it get out of hand. I have done nothing to it, except to enjoy the lovely frangrance. I live in Arizona, 4600 ft. above sea level and it is hot and dry without rain until July. Since I'm disabled, my fiance' takes care of my gardens. The honeysuckle has not been watered until this year, when he has been putting in more plants for me. Yet, it continues to grow and flower, again, staying put where it was planted. I have a neighbor who just moved in this year, who's insisting on cutting it down on her side of the fence, but my fence is six inches in from my property line and it hasn't invaded any of her gardens and yard. She just doesn't like the looks of it because it is rather bare at ground level. This is the only challenge I have, wanting to figure out how to make it green again in the lower part of the vine. Do you know when your honeysuckle was planted? How old it is? Perhaps your honeysuckle isn't giving out the fragrance because it needs more water and sun, plus mulching it. Probably wouldn't hurt giving it some fertilizer that will give your honeysuckle it's ph level in the soil in the range of 5.5 to 7. Good nitrogen supply and high water retention of the soil is required for healthy growth of honeysuckles. Using decaying manure for mulching honeysuckle vines will help see that the vine's requirements are effectively met. My honeysuckle is in full sun, even though it can tolerate some shade. However, full sun gives you more flowers and a better chance of having a wonderful fragrance. But, if you still want another vine with lovely fragrance, then a Jasmine vine will do the job, too!

Thank you again John for organizing the swap - we had a fantastic time - got so many great plants and have them potted up or in the ground. We are feeling alot more comfortable about being prepared for the swaps so plan to have a want/trade list started for the next one. I know already we will have crape myrtle babies and several kinds of hydrangeas along with sedums Getting the plants is wonderful but meeting up again with all you wonderful folks and share stories and ideas is the best and of course we can't forget all the good food. Thanks again - see y'all in the fall ..... Lynne

both, i think! lol. i had decent luck rooting semihard cuttings of a pink flowered vine- not sure the species, etc. not as much luck with coral, which i know several people who want. i'll have to try some of the methods you describe. not sure why- but i get the feeling the winter honey will be easy. haven't ck'd the ones i poked in the fall yet- they're in a not so easy to access spot behind stuff. will start some spring ones when it's through blooming. pup, i have some %$*^! quince i have to round up. plant it where you want it, because it sends roots all over. i moved an old one, and am battling suckers that come from far flung roots still many yrs later. i love them, too- just not where it was. i esp like the deep mysterious dark red cultivars, but mine's the loverly coral color. sure brightens up spring! tam

Catching up with everyone here. If anyone has any Iris left would they throw a bulb or two my way please. For seeds I have: dirtdiggin offering hollyhocks a mix and sassybutterfly offering hollyhocks,jackmanii,datura and brugs,and red honeysuckle. Thank-you both very much Also looking for ornamental grasses and japanese morning glory's. These are the seeds offered too: Mark:cotton tree and loofah gardenmom:loofah dan: loofah plant-one-on-me:loofah sassybutterfly:yellow pea vine lots of loofah seed left. greenthumbgrow have you down for the cherry jubilee cuttings Dan.....I pick my loofah's when they are still green on the vine ,but the stem has turned brown. I peel them when they are green as well, much easier. I give them the squeeze test .....if they give some and you can hear the fibers in the skin breaking then I peel them by pulling off the end first, then running my thump up under the skin. I make a tear all the way to the stem end and then peel it off in one big piece, running my thump under the skin to loosen it as I go if needed. If it does'nt give easily then it's too soon.Give them another day or two. Don't lay them on their sides either,as the moisture can cause them to start rotting.Lean them up on their ends. Once peeled I then lay it in the greenhouse and let it dry, I sometimes have to turn it over the next day, depends on how hot it gets as my gh is not regulated temp wise. Once completely dried, I shake the seeds out into a bag. I find by doing it this way I end up with a very nice white sponge. Letting it dry out and turning brown before peeling makes for hard peeling and a darker sponge that has to be bleached. You can then cut them and use as you wish. I cut out the center membrane(grind that up)and use both in soaps all the time. That's just one of the many uses I get out of them. Not to mention the number of people that stop by wanting to know what those things are growing on the fence......real conversation starter! One other interesting thing about the plant. They have a male and female flower(yellow). Male flowers show up first, followed by the female, both look identical, but the female bears the fruit. I will leave it up to your imagination as to what that looks like. Ants also love the plant and may act as pollinators, so don't be alarmed by what appears to be a take over by ants. Thats my lesson on loofahs.....hope all that helped. Night everyone Regina