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Tips
Maintaining a yearly schedule for pruning your honeysuckle plant will prevent it from becoming overgrown.
Warnings
Check with your local government to check the status of honeysuckle before planting it in your garden. In some places, it is considered an invasive species, and planting it is illegal.
About This Article
This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
When to Prune Honeysuckle
Pruning is a necessary part of the care for your honeysuckle. You should prune all climbing Lonicera immediately after they have finished flowering each year – this will stop them from growing too tall or getting damaged in bad weather.
Pruning Climbing Lonicera – Honeysuckle Vines
Honeysuckle vines are relatively easy to prune, depending on the timing. If you have space for them to grow into large climbers, then trimming is only required by way of cutting back hard in late winter or early spring each year.
Rejuvenation Pruning
The age of a climbing honeysuckle should not be an issue when it comes to pruning. In fact, many can benefit from being cut back hard in early spring. Some vines may need cutting at the first fork on the main trunk if they are large enough (3in or 75mm).
Pruning Shrub or Bush Honeysuckles
The shrub type honeysuckle, Winter flowering Lonicera fragrantissima types, or summer flowering Lonicera tatarica types can be pruned back to a strong new growth immediately after the flowers have bloomed.
Step 1
Prune as soon as the blooming period is done, usually the end of June, no later than mid-July.
Step 2
Cut at 45 degrees cutting downward at a diagonal. Make the cut about 1/4 inch in front of the bud, which allows water to run off the cut area and keeps disease and rot from forming. Do not cut any ferther away from the bud or you will create a stump.
Step 3
Cut away old dead wood anytime of the year. This does not affect the blooming period. Cut the dead wood clear down to ground level; do not leave a stump.
Step 4
Do a severe pruning every couple of years, which will encourage lots of new growth. To do this, prune back to the last bud on each branch, cutting back the branches fairly low to the ground. Do this pruning at the end of summer at the latest to allow time for new growth to form on the bush.
When to Prune Honeysuckle
The main criteria are that all climbing Lonicera should be pruned back immediately after flowering each year.
Pruning Climbing Lonicera – Honeysuckle Vines
Honeysuckle climbers are relatively easy to prune – the most important factor being correct timing.
Rejuvenation Pruning
All old climbing honeysuckles can be given a new lease of life by this method of honeysuckle pruning. Most can be cut back hard in early spring.
Pruning Shrub or Bush Honeysuckles
The shrub type honeysuckle, Winter flowering Lonicera fragrantissima types, or summer flowering Lonicera tatarica types, can be pruned back to a strong new growth, immediately after flowering.
Pruning a Honeysuckle Shrub
1. The bushes have to be pruned between April and June. To make sure that the branches are blooming, it is advisable to wait until it’s after the flowering season. When the plant has bloomed, look for the branches that didn’t bring forth any leaves or flowers and cut them off.
Maintaining a Honeysuckle Vine
1. The best season to shape and prune the vines is in the late summer. Honeysuckle vines have quick growth, and they spread out when it is blooming season. When the season has passed, the plant should be reshaped to a good size.
Trimming an Overgrown Honeysuckle
1. The overgrown honeysuckle should be pruned when it is winter. Honeysuckle bushes and vines are inactive during the winter, and if you prune them too hard, they won’t be harmed. Avoid the flowering period by targeting early winter. Late winter pruning is also acceptable as long as the plant is not growing anew.
Conclusion
In this article lies the key to pruning your honeysuckle perfectly. It gives in detail the secret and techniques of making your honeysuckle survive.
Types of Honeysuckle
The distinctive scent and abundance of flowers make honeysuckle a gardener’s favorite. You can choose from either honeysuckle shrubs or climbing vines.
When to Cut Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle pruning should be done differently, depending on the type of plant. Honeysuckle bushes should be cut back in the spring, while vines can handle a light trim throughout the year. Major pruning jobs on vines should be done in fall or winter when the plant is dormant.
Problems with Honeysuckle
If a honeysuckle is left unattended, it can become a tangled mess that needs to be cut down to the basic stems. Cutting an overgrown honeysuckle down to about a foot from the ground won’t harm the plant. On the contrary, this can rejuvenate a diseased or dying plant.
