Cut and spray Asian bush honeysuckle in winter?

[Mike Bolin]

I hunt and maintain my brother in law's property the he recently enrolled in a management program through the IDNR. I have divided the property into 5 acre sections and I have made decent progress, but I haven't done any work since deer season started on October 1st. With our deer season coming to an end on January 5th I plan to get back to work on it, weather/ground conditions permitting. I have been pulling the stuff for the most part with either my Kubota, my PullerBear or by hand. The section I am moving to has quite a bit of honeysuckle that the stem/trunk is over 3" in diameter and I can't get to with the Kubota. I have read that cutting and spraying is effective on the winter months and that is how I plan to approach it. Have any of you cut and sprayed during the winter months and if you have, did it work for you? Also, there are several options as to which herbicide to spray the trunk with. Anything in particular work well for you? Thanks in advance for any input. Mike

 

[Bill]

I don’t think I’d treat anything if the sap isn’t flowing. But I’ve never tried so....

 

[j-bird]

I only cut when actively growing....and treat the stump with Tordon. Some don't like tordon because it can leach in the soil and may kill other plants. However I see this as a low risk as the JBH seems to kill everything around it as it is. It also has a color to it so you can see which stumps you have treated. If you cut when dormant all the energy is stored in the roots and no sap is flowing....that makes killing the roots more difficult (not impossible) and if you don't get a good kill it will bounce back. I have been looking into basal bark spraying but have not done it myself....yet. I "hunt" it in the early spring (as it is one of the first plants here to show signs of life) and thru it's flowering stage (the yellow/white flowers give it away). The more of it you can kill before it makes seed in the late summer/fall the better. I also have not had great success with a foliar spray either. I simply seem to get it to drop the leaves and then piss it off and it seems to bounce back.... but I have only used strong mixes of gly thus far. Good luck....I have battled this stuff for a while and I seem to be winning the war....it just sits on my neighbors place (which it dominates) and laughs at me....because as soon as I stop fighting I know it will come back!

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I have had good luck killing cut stumps with Tordon in the winter months. For that matter I have used Tordon on trees in early June and got a good kill.

 

[Tree Spud]

I use Garlon4 year round with great success. I mix 3:1 diesel fuel to garlon4 in cleaned out soap detergent bottles as the nozzle does not clog & I get a good application on the tree around the base. The diesel acts as a penetrant.

It to will also leach into soil so be careful with over applying.

 

[Mike Bolin]

Thanks to all for the replies. Some sections of the property are just a mess with this stuff. I am going to try cutting some of the bigger stuff and treating the stumps this winter. Worst case scenario is that I have to go back and spray again early spring. I much prefer working with temps in the 30s and 40s. Thanks agin!

 

[jremmons]

I use Garlon 4 (diesel as carrier) or Garlon 3A (water as carrier). On bush honeysuckle, we tend to get upper 90% kill w/ winter cut & treat methods.
If you wait until the late spring, you'll actually miss the opportune time as that is when the plant will be sending root reserves up for stem elongation, leafing out, and fruiting. Late Fall is probably ideal, but we are typically to busy with other projects and so bust out the cut & treat afterwards.

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Can anyone clarify.

Bush honeysuckle, scientific - Lonicera
There are multiple different species.

Are all honeysuckle species the same in their invasiveness?

Had been looking at planting some Freedom Honeysuckle in a problem spot.

But would lean a different direction if anyone has info. Dont need to create other headaches.

 

[homerj]

Freedom Honeysuckle is an "improved" cultivar of Lonicera tatarica http://plants.landsburgnursery.com/12060002/Plant/208/Freedom_Honeysuckle/

Lonicera tatarica is invasive
https://www.invasive.org/browse/subinfo.cfm?sub=3043
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=278951
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/tatarian-honeysuckle
https://extension.sdstate.edu/woody-weeds-tatarian-honeysuckle

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Thz, great info Homer.
Glad I asked. Will be switching to white willow.

 

[Catscratch]

I cut and treat in winter all the time. Straight gly or triclopyr/diesel mix are my go-to's. No honeysuckle experience for me though, locust and hedge are the one's I battle most.

 

[blueKYstream]

I've cut and used glyphosate in the winter and had good luck on honeysuckle. I did an experiment with basal bark treatment in late summer using Brushtox with triclophyr as the main ingredient (5:1 brushtox to diesel mix) . It was difficult in some respect to tell what died and what lost leaves early to drought, but I'm fairly certain honeysuckle did not die. I had great results killing Autumn Olive though. Smaller diameter ash trees were killed. Hickory all survived (as expected with thick bark). Sycamores died if I recall correctly.

 

[Mike Bolin]

Thanks for the replies. Started cutting the honeysuckle and treating the stumps yesterday.