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Texas Gardening

Moving honeysuckle from wrong side of fence?

bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw

6 years ago

Realize I misread the increasing afternoon shade from the neighbor's trees and should have planted this 'Major Wheeler' honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) on the other (west) side of the fence to get it to willingly cover the fence top. Does anyone know if it could be cut back and transplanted with much chance of success?

Featured Answer

User

6 years ago

I did this at my very first home a million years ago -- normal ways: cut it back and dug around the root ball, dug a larger hole at the transplant site. It survived just fine (and in truly awful soil). I did it in early Spring, when I knew we were past freeze dates. In cutting it back, I followed the usual 1/3 rule for shrubs, etc, and also did a bit of root pruning before replanting.

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Comments (8)

bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
That's great news - it's what I have been intending to try, but didn't want to risk a growing season if already known to be a low success transplant. Thanks for the additional details that worked well for you!
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I'm glad you got a response from someone with experience in moving a honeysuckle.

One of the few plants I've lost when trying to move it is Evergreen sumac. I had several plants and this happened twice even though they were cut back, and moved in late winter with a large intact root ball. I dearly love this shrub and intend to buy more, but will never try to move it again.

Your honey suckle seems a lot fuller than my native red honeysuckle ever looks, even in spring and summer. I searched for 'Major Wheeler' in the local nurseries, but couldn't one labeled as such. BTW, mine is blooming now.
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bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw thanked roselee z8b S.W. Texas
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
6 years ago
I have used a sawzall with a brush blade to cut around the rootball and then used a shovel to shovel it out . It gives you a clean cut and the shovel can be used to shovel and pry it out . That is how I do trees in the wild. It only works if you don't have a lot of rock. DUH.
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bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw thanked wantonamara Z8 CenTex
bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
Original Author
6 years ago
Roselee, The evergreen sumac is nice, though never thought we had space for one - don't they get pretty large? Sorry they didn't survive transplant well for you, but is good to know they don't favor moving if ever do get to pick a spot for one.

Our 'Major Wheeler' gets full sun until ~3:00pm year-round. Have guessed that's likely why it gets much fuller than the yellow 'John Clayton' Lonicera sempervirens we have in considerably less light. Though both have dropped a lot of leaves and the late sporadic blooms since our mid-January hard freeze.

Wantonamara, Okay - we do have a long enough extension cord, so if the sharpshooter doesn't cut it well, then the sawzall will. Thanks for the tip.
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wantonamara Z8 CenTex
6 years ago
High country Gardener carries "Major wheeler". It grows from cuttings, if you know of someone who has one.
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roselee z8b S.W. Texas
6 years ago
Mara, thank you for the information on where to find 'Major Wheeler'.

Bostedo, I still have one evergreen sumac. Yes, they can get large, but it is one of the Texas native shrubs that can take pruning and make a good hedge. I was surprised to see a heavily pruned line of them at an Austin apartment complex that I used to visit often and they looked great in all seasons.
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wantonamara Z8 CenTex
6 years ago
They can be hard pruned and recover quickly.
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