To plant these offshoots under a cedar tree, how much soil do I need? I don't have a trailer to get soil. Could I steal soil from my flower garden? Do I dig whatever soil there is under the tree before putting down a base of soil?
Hi Ginger, I am not sure the cedar tree will like having its roots disturbed to make space for the lonicera and I am not sure the lonicera will like living under the shade of the cedar. Adding a deep layer of soil on top of the cedar's roots would not be good, but you could add some. How big is the tree? Are you thinking of planting close to the trunk or at the dripline? If you plant it under the tree, just make holes large enough to put in the cuttings then add some compost around the plants on top of the soil. I am assuming these starts are small?
Ginger--I wouldn't worry too much about adding soil for the lonicera. It's a pretty vigorous plant, and like Eric mentions adding soil over the cedar roots won't be appreciated by the tree. Pileata looks bad in drought, which is what you'll be fighting around cedar roots. If you can keep enough water in there, plus a reasonable amount of nitrogen, it will stay deep green for you. I've grown them in quite deep shade, they actually stay darker green in some shade. They will yellow if the nitrogen runs out...I hate to say stuff like that coz I'm pretty much of an organic type gardener but these plants kept getting yellow on me until I dumped the 20-10-10 control release on them. This is as good a plant as any to consign to the nether regions known as the cedar tree understory...one tough place to get much to grow... Glen
