Trees or bushes for privacy??

[tcreeley]

Tartarian honeysuckle is an invasive plant not native to the US, spreads rapidly & will choke out native species!

It handles the -30F temps and does not die off. It grows well in clay heavy soil that does not drain well. Its "maybe" competitor is red dogwood that grows wild and elderberry that also grows wild.

I've planted many trees and shrubs in my soil. Honey locust does well, chinese elm - hit or miss, cherry - poorly (the wild black cherry does ok) silver maple- barely (red maple wild- ok) wild ***** willows ok.

The tartarian honeysuckle is hardy, and the birds love it here in Maine. It fills a niche that is currently unfilled - unless you like wild raspberries that have small berries or wild blackberries that don't produce berries that ever ripen.

As for choking out species- 30 years of watching it - hasn't choked anything out. Nothing else was growing there in the prior 5 years except goldenrod!

 

[ultrarunner]

And remember, grapes will cause renal failure in dogs.

I've heard this and have no reason to doubt it.

We have always had dogs... raised Australian Shepards for decades and also have grapes... they would all "Graze" on the grapes, pumpkin, squash, peaches, apples, plumbs and figs...

All were incredibly healthy and live 14 to 16 years... grapes each year.

Wonder if the caution applies to certain types of grapes.

 

[forgeblast]

Since we are enrolled in a CREP program we are required to fight the invasive's on our property. Honeysuckle a big one, multi-flora rose, mile a minute, and Japanese knot weed are the biggies I have to go after.
There are if its a wet area willows that will make a hedge and grow pretty quick. I tried planting a few for making baskets but they did not take.
thelua Giant I think is recommended since I think its Immune to Hemlock woolly adelgid.

 

[jaxs]

I've heard this and have no reason to doubt it.

We have always had dogs... raised Australian Shepards for decades and also have grapes... they would all "Graze" on the grapes, pumpkin, squash, peaches, apples, plumbs and figs...

All were incredibly healthy and live 14 to 16 years... grapes each year.

Wonder if the caution applies to certain types of grapes.

Only grapes of wrath.die:

 

[smstonypoint]

Only grapes of wrath.die:

That sounds like "sour grapes" on your part.

Steve

 

[RalphVa]

Since we are enrolled in a CREP program we are required to fight the invasive's on our property. Honeysuckle a big one, multi-flora rose, mile a minute, and Japanese knot weed are the biggies I have to go after.
There are if its a wet area willows that will make a hedge and grow pretty quick. I tried planting a few for making baskets but they did not take.
thelua Giant I think is recommended since I think its Immune to Hemlock woolly adelgid.

Best way to deal with invasives is to cut and immediately paint with concentrated glyphosate or Roundup (active ingredient is glyphosate). I've tried all sorts of things. This is all that works, unless the ground is soft, and the stuff is young when you're trying to pull it out.

Ralph

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Around here if you stop mowing a dense thicket will grow up in a couple of years. You could just let it go and see what comes up, that's what we do along our boundaries with our neighbors. In our oak forest holly grows in the underbrush. It is thick and evergreen and grows quickly. Mountain laurel might work too depending on your climate.

 

[forgeblast]

Best way to deal with invasives is to cut and immediately paint with concentrated glyphosate or Roundup (active ingredient is glyphosate). I've tried all sorts of things. This is all that works, unless the ground is soft, and the stuff is young when you're trying to pull it out.

Ralph

I will have to say it depends on what your spraying. https://extension.psu.edu/weed-management-in-crep-grasslands is a great publication and they normally recommend a mix of roundup and 2-4-d. That is normally what I use. For knotweeds I spray at spring emergence, then in the summer and then in the fall (after it flowers I do not want to hit the bees). Then I repeat every year until its knocked down. Its a nasty invasive. Honey suckle I can normally hit with the mix and it knocks it out unless its big then i cut and spray. Table 2 in the link shows what works best for different weeds and the control you could expect. Since I cannot mow the CREP area, I just back pack spray the trouble spots.