Posts

• Fairygirl Posts: 55,117

  9 February

  Hi @francesk1984 - montanas and most honeysuckles are very large plants, so they may not be the ideal for your site. They're at their best when growing over small buildings or through other trees/shrubs. However, Honeysuckles can certainly be cut back at almost any time, and it wouldn't affect flowering too much if it was done now, although it may be minimal. They grow away very easily again if the conditions suit them. 
  Montanas want to be big, and are usually just left to do their thing, but if needed, they can be cut back hard to rejuvenate [not needed for your situation] and in general would be done after flowering. It wouldn't matter if you did it soon, you would just sacrifice the spring flowering, but you'd possibly get the later flush if you're in a suitable location. Ideally, let it flower, and then cut back after that 

  It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
  
  
  
  I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...

  0
• francesk1984 Posts: 5

  9 February

  Thank you so much @Fairygirl that is so helpful and just the kind of info I needed - much appreciated!   

  0
• bédé Posts: 3,095

  9 February edited 9 February

  The standard advice is prune after flowering. For late flowerers, that can mean in the late winter/spring. 
  
  The other advice is prune when you are in the mood.

   location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
  "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

  0
• francesk1984 Posts: 5

  10 February

  I like the sound of prune when you are in the mood! Probably quite suited to the kind of gardener I am…😁
  

  
  

  0
• Fairygirl Posts: 55,117

  10 February

  The problem with 'pruning when you're in the mood' is - if you keep pruning at the wrong time with many plants, you'll continually sacrifice the flowers  @francesk1984 . 
  For example - there's a house round the corner from me which has a lilac in the front garden. It never flowers, because they prune it right back in early spring - every year. That means they're cutting off all the stems which carry the flowers.
  The usual advice is - if it flowers before June, don't prune. That's because of the reason I've just described with the lilac   
  Rejuvenating a plant is different of course, and you accept that flowers won't happen until the following season, or will be minimal. 

  It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
  
  
  
  I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...

  1
• francesk1984 Posts: 5

  14 February

  Thanks @Fairygirl. I think I’ll probably leave it until after it flowers then give it a prune - be a shame to miss out on this summers flowering.

  0
• francesk1984 Posts: 5

  14 February

  Thanks for the advice 

  0