Honeysuckle

[Gator]

Just how much will deer browse on this? Will the eat it at different times of the year? I am growing some now that I am gonna plant this spring behind my house, and am curious as to if they will even mess with it

[dogdoc]

there are a lot of people who discourage the planting of honeysuckle as it can have a tendency to to overcrowd/out compete natural vegetation. But to answer your question--yes deer to browse HS usually year round but i see more usage in the early spring when new growth is starting. Fertilize twice a year--early spring and late summer with a high nitrogen fetilizer and you will see more browsing activinty and also increase the protein content.

Honeysuckle to deer is like ice cream to you (and I know you like to eat ice cream)
todd

[Gator]

Well, the one area I am thinking of planting it, it won't crowd out the natural vegetation, as it is on a woodline, the rest is my dinky food plot.

And I don't think the "ice cream" comment WAS necessary!!

[ousoonerfan22]

Gator,
I like to make brush piles where the honeysuckle is growing for cover plus the deer will eat it.

[Gator]

[ QUOTE ]
Gator,
I like to make brush piles where the honeysuckle is growing for cover plus the deer will eat it.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL!!! That is EXACTLY where I plan on planting it!!! There is a small brushpile from where I cleared some trees, I am gonna plant it so it has some stuff to grow on!!

[Tominator]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, the one area I am thinking of planting it, it won't crowd out the natural vegetation, as it is on a woodline, the rest is my dinky food plot.

And I don't think the "ice cream" comment WAS necessary!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, but, you have to remember the birds will eat the berries and spread the seeds all over kingdom come.

Honeysuckle is beyond noxious weed in Ohio. I don't remember it's designation, but it's against the law to propogate and sell certain varieties. I don't know about Oklahoma, but that stuff grows like wildfire around here.

[wtnhunt]

Have watched deer here feed on honeysuckle quite a bit. Have some naturally growing around brush piles here. In my experience, so long as you can mow around it, it is not too terribly bad to keep from getting out of hand.

[realtrhunter]

Gator,
As I am about to graduate as a Forester I would reccommend that you check with a Reginal Forester. Here in Southern Illinois it is out of control, especially Japanese and Amur Honey suckle. Just like Tominator said birds will spread it to places you dont want it. It will definatly take over an area, even if it is on an edge, that is where it establishes itself and then spreads to the interior areas of woods as it kills the other vegitation that is strangles out. Like I tell alot of people , It is great that we give deer alot of high quality vegitation to eat, but if the land is properly managed there is alot more for them to eat. It also cuts back the land owners seed and fertilizer bills.