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Lonicerca hedge

bulkerbbulkerb Posts: 258
in Problem solving

I have just moved into my new cottage and I have an over grown lonicerca very small leaved hedge looks lovely but just got to fat.

How hard can I cut in to it with out killing it I ideally want to reduce it by around a foot one side the hedge is just over 3 feet wide and 4 feet high. Also when is my best time to do it cheers lester

Posts

  • Chrissy the gardenerChrissy the gardener Posts: 1,072

    You can cut it really hard and it will shoot back I would do it at the end of the month so hopefully we won't get a late frost. Pruning promotes growth so you don't want it to start putting on new growth and then get a frost to damage the new growth.

    I use this kind of lonicera for topiary because it grows quickly and is very forgiving.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Yes - they take any amount of hacking. Fast growing. I'm not so keen on them as hedges, but I like them against fences or walls as a backdrop to other planting. Good for wildlife to hide in too image

    They are good for shaping - what do you create Chrissy? 

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Chrissy the gardenerChrissy the gardener Posts: 1,072

    image image

    Hi fairygirl I've just been outside and taken thease photos ( I must be mad ) 

    they where grown from some very small cuttings so didn't cost me anything but time.

    ive also made a swan but that is down the garden so I can't get to it so easily.

  • treehugger80treehugger80 Posts: 1,923

    hack it to the knees and you'll be surprised how quick it grows back, best to do it know, waiting any longer and you risk disturbing nesting birds.

  • Chrissy the gardenerChrissy the gardener Posts: 1,072

    Oops you are right tree hugger was forgetting about nesting birds, I notice they are quite busy already.

    thanks for the reminder.

  • bulkerbbulkerb Posts: 258

    Thanks to everyone will cut this week if rain stops Lester 

  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254

    Hi bulkerb,

    It's lonicera, not lonicerca. And I suppose you are talking about a Lonicera nitida, not about Honeysuckle, which is also a Lonicera.image

    I personally do not like those Lonicera nitida plants, they can grow quite large and become almost indestructible. However I admire the patience and topiary art of Chrissy the gardener. Well done, Chrissy.image

  • bulkerbbulkerb Posts: 258

    sorry it is a hedge and not honey suckle tiny little glossy green leaves a bit like cotoneaster but with out the berries or am I just making things more confusing any way by the weekend it will be a lot slimmer wish I could loose weight that quickly lol! cheers everyone Lester.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    They look very smart Chrissy - you've done a good job getting the trunks straight to make that 'standard' shape, if that's the correct term for it. I expect it isn't, but you know what I mean!

    I have a couple of different ones and I just prune out individual stems to keep them quite loose, although they're used as structure behind and beside other planting They provide all year round colour  (vital here for wintertime) and some berries for the birds, so they're very useful in my garden.

    Might try a bit of shaping and trimming since I bought a new pair of snips....image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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