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HPSO Discussion Forums : Plant Forum |
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Subject : Removing trumpet vine from mixed hedge (with wasps)..
02/10/2021 08:53:04 AM
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| Martha Thompson |
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Posts: 4
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With the current cold snap, I'm considering trying to eradicate the trumpet vine from our mixed hedge that grows on a trellis against our garage wall. When I tried to diminish it during the summer (when I could tell which vines were which) I heard a great buzzing noise and was stung by a wasp. Could be a nest in there.
I'm considering cutting the vine at the base and covering it (the roots) with plastic and mulch. I'm pretty sure I know which vine base is the trumpet vine. And then in the summer I will know which of the tangle is the dead trumpet vine, and hopefully the wasps will have moved on?
On the other hand, the whole hedge (mostly various honeysuckles) is top heavy - maybe I hard prune the whole thing this spring?
I would prefer not to use herbicide or pesticide on the vine or wasps.
Any thoughts? |
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Subject : Re:Removing trumpet vine from mixed hedge (with wasps)..
02/10/2021 09:02:08 AM
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| Susan Burdell |
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Wasps have left during the winter. That's all I know. |
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Subject : Re:Removing trumpet vine from mixed hedge (with wasps)..
02/10/2021 09:34:42 AM
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| Linda Baptiste |
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Wasps likely dead, new queens hibernating, very sleepy. Vine a disaster, will root sprout, ran across our lawn. Cutting back, digging, treating cut ends with Roundup, applied with small brush (limits exposure). Good luck. |
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Subject : Re:Removing trumpet vine from mixed hedge (with wasps)..
02/10/2021 09:39:45 AM
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| Mary Anne Cassin |
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The wasps will be inactive or no longer present during the winter. If it was a yellow jacket nest, there will be no insects at all. Only the overwintering queens survive and are probably elsewhere.
You are right, this cold snap is the best time to dig out the roots without having to worry about getting stung.
Ken Meyer |
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Subject : Re:Removing trumpet vine from mixed hedge (with wasps)..
02/10/2021 12:07:09 PM
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| Ellen Smart |
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Be brave. Cut to the ground. Paint the stump with a serious herbicide. Digging up is tricky because even an inch of pencil-size root left in the earth will grow. It took me ten years of constant vigilance to get rid of a trumpet vine. Judicious use of glyphosate is the only way to get rid of trumpet vine, using a little paintbrush on sprouting leaves, etc. Good luck. |
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Subject : Re:Removing trumpet vine from mixed hedge (with wasps)..
02/10/2021 12:13:58 PM
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| Martha Thompson |
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Posts: 4
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This is so helpful, thank you for the responses. I'm thinking I may do a "radical renovation" of the whole hedge, including the honeysuckle (cut to ground). Honestly, I pretty much have to if I'm going to take the trumpet vine out - it's a tangled mattress of vines. My fear is that cutting the trumpet vine to the ground will encourage even more rampant trumpet root/runner growth. (The last time I heard "good luck" with getting rid of a plant was with acanthus, which came back even more hearty and dense. Humbled, I now accept that I have acanthus for good in that area.)
In other words, will the trumpet vine be better behaved if I keep a foot or more of the above ground vine, and just keep whacking that back throughout the growing season? |
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Subject : Re:Removing trumpet vine from mixed hedge (with wasps)..
02/10/2021 03:09:41 PM
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| Sharon Hanes |
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We had a 9 year old Trumpet vine that was sold in a nursery as a less invasive variety.
It climbed on a sturdy fence providing tons of food for hummingbirds and bees. It was vigorous but “polite” for about 6-7 years.
Then the nightmare began. It began sprouting in the beds on either side of the fence (thankfully we were a large corner lot and it was not impacting a neighbor). At first we just snipped the sprouts off. Then began digging them, then had the vine cut at its now huge base. Continued to sprout up to 15 feet from original base. Had professionals dig and dig its roots that were the size of human arms radiating out from the vase. All failed to stop it. Our total organic yard even saw us paint a god awful herbicide on cut root openings. Became obvious our beautiful yard, where the Eugene symphony had played when our yard was on tour, would be destroyed.
In the ninth year we hired a fellow with a large backhoe. He tore down the nice fence and proceeded to dig a hole 25 feet by 50 feet in back and side yard- 6 feet deep to 3 feet deep. Visualize a hole dug for a swimming pool. Rock salt was spread in the 6 foot deep areas. Then with a conveyor belted truck gravel filled about half the depth, then top soil finished filling the hole. Think the biggest French drain ever. Fence replaced. Yard replanted. Trumpet vine never came back and yard is again beautiful. Total cost to remove a 9 year old trumpet vine—- about $8000. Are we rich. Nope.
On tour a few years ago in Southeast Portland during the regional Harty Plant Conference in Portland we spied a Trumpet Vine climbing over a house on tour. We ask the owner. He said he planted it because he remembered it in his Mom’s yard on the farm where he grew up. He rolled his eyes and yes it had become a nightmare. The houses were very close. He couldn’t do what we did. He kind of grinned and said it now completely covered his basement floor!!
Nurseries still sell it.
And that’s our Trumpet Vine story. They should stay in the Eastern US forests where they can grow and grow and are just part of the forest ecosystem.
Richard and Sharon Hanes |
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Last Edited On: 02/10/2021 03:11:18 PM By Sharon Hanes |
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Subject : Re:Removing trumpet vine from mixed hedge (with wasps)..
02/12/2021 10:20:28 AM
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| Martha Thompson |
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Posts: 4
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Richard and Sharon, thank you for that elucidating and frankly terrifying story!
I read in Cass Turnbull's Guide to Pruning regarding Trumpet vine "When dug, tiny bits left in soil grow into plants." Yikes. I had been planning to relocate some sun loving perennials at the base of the vine because they aren't getting enough sun anymore, but it's sounding like I need to toss them. Sigh. Yes, I bought my trumpet vine at Portland Nursery some ten years ago.
Gardening is all about learning through trial and error, but oh, this one feels painful! |
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