I have planted one in each garden I have owned. Just love them. It is easy to look them over after flowering and cut out any criss crossing branches to keep the bush open. They do not climb but can be trained into a hedge or over an arch if wanted. Grown as a free standing bush which my current one is, they can grow to 6/7 ft or more. Mine is in full flower now, planted next to a gate into the garden. Lovely. A blackbird used to nest in the one I left behind in my last garden, I gave my sister a rooted cutting, they root really easily, and she now has a blackbird which uses hers to nest in each year. Mine isn't big enough yet but I live in hopes. I have a rooted cutting I am growing on for my daughter, it is 3 years old, not pruned, and had its first flowers this year. I will be handing it over in March, it is a couple of feet tall and about the same in spread.
@Joyce Goldenlily Thank you for giving me so much information on how this plant actually grows for you . It is the kind of information that you will never find in a book or on line. I will be visiting the local nursery next week and this lovely plant is on my list
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
In the Spring I pull off short shoots, with a heel, trim the heels and then push the cuttings into a small slit trench, in a sheltered corner, in the garden. Water in hot weather, no feeding. One or two of the full sized leaves can be removed if they have not already been dropped. I would think you could try putting some greenwood cuttings in water, I reckon they would make roots before being potted up and grown on although I have never tried it. The mother plant will often send out runners/suckers/layers which can be cut off and grown on. Interestingly I have never found any seedlings, despite the bush producing plenty of berries. The birds must take them pretty quickly when they are ripe. I usually take half a dozen cuttings to allow for failure. There is no reason why the cuttings should not be started off in a pot using all purpose compost, it just means you have to keep more of an eye on them to avoid drying out. This honeysuckle is a hardy shrub, not a hot house tender baby. It usually drops most of its leaves in Spring.
In the Spring I pull off short shoots, with a heel, trim the heels and then push the cuttings into a small slit trench, in a sheltered corner, in the garden. Water in hot weather, no feeding. One or two of the full sized leaves can be removed if they have not already been dropped. I would think you could try putting some greenwood cuttings in water, I reckon they would make roots before being potted up and grown on although I have never tried it. The mother plant will often send out runners/suckers/layers which can be cut off and grown on. Interestingly I have never found any seedlings, despite the bush producing plenty of berries. The birds must take them pretty quickly when they are ripe. I usually take half a dozen cuttings to allow for failure. There is no reason why the cuttings should not be started off in a pot using all purpose compost, it just means you have to keep more of an eye on them to avoid drying out. This honeysuckle is a hardy shrub, not a hot house tender baby. It usually drops most of its leaves in Spring.
Thanks, and sorry I missed your post originally, just seen it.
I bought a winter honeysuckle from Bluebell Arboretum who were very helpful. They warned me the plant they were sending wasn't much to look at (and they were right) but assured me it would grow nicely over the coming months, and it certainly has. It's been living in my greenhouse during winter waiting to be planted out, which I will do later this month.
Couple of questions please..
1) Worth taking a cutting now, just to be safe? 2) Is there any need to prune it now to make it bush out more, or should it just be left to grow as it is?
In the Spring I pull off short shoots, with a heel, trim the heels and then push the cuttings into a small slit trench, in a sheltered corner, in the garden. Water in hot weather, no feeding. One or two of the full sized leaves can be removed if they have not already been dropped. I would think you could try putting some greenwood cuttings in water, I reckon they would make roots before being potted up and grown on although I have never tried it. The mother plant will often send out runners/suckers/layers which can be cut off and grown on. Interestingly I have never found any seedlings, despite the bush producing plenty of berries. The birds must take them pretty quickly when they are ripe. I usually take half a dozen cuttings to allow for failure. There is no reason why the cuttings should not be started off in a pot using all purpose compost, it just means you have to keep more of an eye on them to avoid drying out. This honeysuckle is a hardy shrub, not a hot house tender baby. It usually drops most of its leaves in Spring.
Thanks, and sorry I missed your post originally, just seen it.
I bought a winter honeysuckle from Bluebell Arboretum who were very helpful. They warned me the plant they were sending wasn't much to look at (and they were right) but assured me it would grow nicely over the coming months, and it certainly has. It's been living in my greenhouse during winter waiting to be planted out, which I will do later this month.
Couple of questions please..
1) Worth taking a cutting now, just to be safe? 2) Is there any need to prune it now to make it bush out more, or should it just be left to grow as it is?
I handed over the "cutting" I grew for my daughter this weekend. It was 3ft tall and the same across. My car looked like a mobile greenhouse. I have my fingers crossed it survives as there was no soil on the roots, I had to put it in a bucket of water once lifted. I know it is the wrong time of year to move bare-root plants but sometimes we have to take a chance. My plant is fragrantissima which appears to be very tough. No coddling, withstands harsh winters etc. It is in full leaf now it has finished flowering. I just trim it back each year to stop it growing over the steps and gate. Winter flowering honeysuckle are not climbers, they are bushes. I would get yours into the ground straight away and not prune or take any cuttings etc. this year. It is still a very young plant so let it get established before you start hacking it about. Keep it watered, no feeding, to make the roots work into the ground and no pruning. Give it at least 2 years before shaping etc. Well heeled in it should not need a stake.
Posts
I have a rooted cutting I am growing on for my daughter, it is 3 years old, not pruned, and had its first flowers this year. I will be handing it over in March, it is a couple of feet tall and about the same in spread.
I will be visiting the local nursery next week and this lovely plant is on my list
I usually take half a dozen cuttings to allow for failure. There is no reason why the cuttings should not be started off in a pot using all purpose compost, it just means you have to keep more of an eye on them to avoid drying out. This honeysuckle is a hardy shrub, not a hot house tender baby. It usually drops most of its leaves in Spring.
I bought a winter honeysuckle from Bluebell Arboretum who were very helpful. They warned me the plant they were sending wasn't much to look at (and they were right) but assured me it would grow nicely over the coming months, and it certainly has. It's been living in my greenhouse during winter waiting to be planted out, which I will do later this month.
Couple of questions please..
1) Worth taking a cutting now, just to be safe?
2) Is there any need to prune it now to make it bush out more, or should it just be left to grow as it is?
I have my fingers crossed it survives as there was no soil on the roots, I had to put it in a bucket of water once lifted. I know it is the wrong time of year to move bare-root plants but sometimes we have to take a chance.
My plant is fragrantissima which appears to be very tough. No coddling, withstands harsh winters etc. It is in full leaf now it has finished flowering. I just trim it back each year to stop it growing over the steps and gate. Winter flowering honeysuckle are not climbers, they are bushes.
I would get yours into the ground straight away and not prune or take any cuttings etc. this year. It is still a very young plant so let it get established before you start hacking it about. Keep it watered, no feeding, to make the roots work into the ground and no pruning. Give it at least 2 years before shaping etc. Well heeled in it should not need a stake.