Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

New honeysuckle not happy - should I move it now or wait?

gilla.walmsleygilla.walmsley Posts: 339
in Problem solving
I bought two Honeysuckles which I planted against a fence that are doing very well. However this third Honeysuckle that was a gift is not very happy. I planted it to grow up my Pergola but despite regular watering it's losing a lot of leaves, although it is just now flowering. I think it's because it's position is too hot - it's a south facing site with no shade.

I also have a new bare root rambling rose that isn't doing very well against the back pergola post, I think because it doesn't get ENOUGH sun! It does some tiny have growth, but compared to the other rambler I bought which is happily growing against the fence, this doesn't seem very happy. I was thinking about swapping the rose and honeysuckle, but I've made the mistake before of moving things in the summer (including a rose) and losing them as a result. Should I hold fire and wait until autumn? Trying to work out what's the least risky! And also whether the rambler would be happy in a hot full sun site or not!




«1

Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @gilla.walmsley As you say both are risky and you may loose them which ever way you go. Personally I wouldn't move either and let them take their chance. I assume you are watering deeply every few days in this warm weather. Moving anything at present will knock it back even further. 
    Some roses do like more sun than others so it may depend on the variety.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd cut the honeysuckle back and move it into the shade somewhere, but you could risk waiting until autumn if you're worried about moving it just now. Sites in sunny aspects are hopeless for them, unless there's cover from other planting, hedges/trees etc.
    I don't know anything about roses, but I'd rather have a honeysuckle any day over a rose, so you may have to make a decision as to what matters most to you, and whether you have another site that would suit the rose.
    If you know which one it is, you could ask for help with it on the rose thread on the forum.  :)
    The condition of your soil is the most important thing though, especially with climbers, and when you're planting next to posts which I assume are concreted into place. That makes the site drier than in more open ground. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I would cut the honeysuckle back really hard., soak it and move it to the new site. Water it as much as possible and keep your fingers crossed. 
    That said I am a great one for moving stuff any time of the year. To be fair it usually works. Good luck 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I do too @debs64, but it's often easier here as it tends to be cooler and damper in summer [apart from our recent spell of weather ] so it's less stressful for moving them.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Years ago I would have said take the risk. Now things are different, if we have little or no rain in the coming months moving could be the worst thing to do.
    However if the Honeysuckle is cut back an moved that could be an option. 
    I think we all agree there is some risk with both options.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • gilla.walmsleygilla.walmsley Posts: 339
    Thanks all, I really appreciate your feedback on what is a slightly boring question! As @GardenerSuze says, for the last 5 years I have pretty much had no rain the whole summer. As of today the last time it rained here was early April  :( 
    Having said that, the Honeysuckle and Rose were only planted in April so wouldn't have had time to get established yet and might be less risk to move now than in later months - I keep changing my mind every 5 minutes on the right thing to do! I could also try setting up some kind of makeshift shade for the bottom half of the Honeysuckle until the Autumn.

    I've never owned Honeysuckle or roses before the last year or two so @Fairygirl I appreciate the tips! Yes the posts are concreted into the ground. The entirety of the soil that you can see in the pics is made up of compost as the decking is obviously raised up from actual ground level. My gut feeling is that the Honeysuckle needs its roots or bottom half in the shade. I'm just conscious that the Rose isn't happy either, so wouldn't want to move the Honeysuckle from one unhappy place to another - although it might be that the Rose isn't happy because it's not getting enough sun at the back. The only thing I have currently have happily growing against those posts elsewhere are some annual Cobea Scandens which are romping away. 

    I'm now off to stare at it for some more hours and change my mind at least 5 times  :D
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited June 2023
    @gilla.walmsley I would say that both these plants love water. Years ago they would have grown with ease but not now.
    I have stood and stared at garden dilemmas too. Not anymore I changed just about everything a few years ago[with a heavy heart] now I only grow plants that have proved they can cope with my garden. This could still be subject to change in the future. I don't grow so many different things but repeat those that do well. It has worked in that it' pulls' the garden together. No need to spend on new plants just experiment with what you have.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • gilla.walmsleygilla.walmsley Posts: 339
    This is exactly what I've been thinking recently @GardenerSuze. I've been in this house for 4 years and battled with its extremely sunny, south facing and (unusually for this area) free draining/dry soil. I love the cottage garden look, but I feel enormously guilty about the amount of watering it takes in the summer (luckily we have somehow escaped a hosepipe ban so far). On the flip side there have been things that I've treated terribly - like Salvia, Echinacea and Verbena B which I grew from seed - that have refused to die and grow away happily without any love. I don't think I'm quite ready to give up on the idea of roses and honeysuckle yet, but maybe I need to find another spot for them instead of against the pergola and find a sun-tolerant alternative climber for there!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Compost on it's own is no use for any permanent planting, and especially not things like honeysuckle or roses. You need good quality soil with plenty of organic matter added regularly to keep it beefed up enough for those plants. Compost is only suitable for temporary planting - ie annuals. 
    The reason those other plants [salvia etc] thrive is because that's the conditions they like. Cobeas don't need much help either. Completely different from the requirements for roses and honeysuckles. If there isn't much depth to the area either, that won't help either. 
    You might be better with annuals like Ipomoea which don't mind drier, hotter conditions.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @gilla.walmsley Hi this takes me back to my very first post still upside down. The heucheras are now elsewhere replaced with Pittosporum. Nothing in this border is watered artifically. Personally I would look to things that thrive in dry soil. With some careful choices you should be able to grow plants that need very little water which will help you too on a hot day.
    Sorry to repeat this old photo hope to be moving soon so new garden lots of different ideas.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Sign In or Register to comment.