Question
We planted a Honeysuckle in our yard (Newfoundland) two years ago, and it was doing quite well.  After unwrapping the burlap we had it covered with this winter, we thought it would come back, but it never returned to life.  It was only about 5 ft tall.  The small branches are bone dry.  It almost looks as if a large bite has been taken out of it down where the trunk meets the ground, but it was well wrapped.  Do you have any idea why it might have died?  We planted it the year our dog died, and we would have liked to have kept it as a sort of keepsake.  We grow numerous plants and trees in our yard, but we have never seen a plant just die like this with no attempt to come back to life. We're stumped.

Answer
Hi Shannon,
Thanx for your question.  First, allow me to express my condolences for your dog.  I lost three cats in the past year and I know how difficult that can be.  I hope you have lots of nice memories of your pet.  I know I do.

Well, it sounds to me like the cold may have gotten the better of your plant. I'm wondering if the burlap may have had something to do with it because of its ability to hold water and may have caused the trunk to rot and kill the root.  Plain old mulching is the way I would go.  Mulches tend to drain better and have this uncanny ability to keep the plant protected from cold but also help preserve the correct amount of moisture in the soil.  Sometimes these things just happen.  It really does sound to me like some kind of rot or death caused by cold.  Is  the whole plant dead?  If not, trim off as much of the dead material as you can and then in the fall, mulch it well with cypress bark or pine needles or leaf mould.  I hope this helps.
Tom