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Cutting Back Climbing Honeysuckle
in Plants
Hi there,
I have inherited a climbing honeysuckle and as you can see it is quite out of control at present (see picture). Does anyone have any advice of what I need to do to it ready for winter? Do I trim it to a manageable length or do I cut it all back down to the ground?
Thanks in advance.

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I think I'd cut it down to the ground this winter and erect a sturdy trellis or obelisk for it to climb up. Give the soil around it a good mulching with leaf mould or garden compost, and give it a dose of Fish Blood & Bone in late February (according to directions on pack). It'll be fine and will grow away well in the spring.
In future years you can cut it back as shown here to keep it under control and keep it flowering well http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/creative-projects/how-to-prune-honeysuckle/158.html
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Great, thank you for the advice.
A question again on this topic. I have cut the honeysuckle back only to find this tangled mess right at the bottom (see photo). Under this is the main bit of the plant exiting the ground. Do you recommend cutting away this massive clump too?
Many thanks in advance.
I think it looks more like a montana Clematis you have Jim but they get out of hand and the treatment is the same. You'll lose the flowers until it gets going again but you can tidy it up in late summer or early autumn to keep it in check. They often flower a second time in early autumn but it's the best time to give it a haircut. I'd just tidy up the tangled bit enough to let some air circulate round the new shoots but if it's a montana, new growth will come from those dead looking stems so don't go mad!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Looking at it with my specs on I think you're right Fg
- I wish I could zoom in on that pic but I can't enlarge it.
I agree tidy it up and it'll soon grow again.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.