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honeysuckle

Can you tell me how to cut back a straggly honeysuckle?  It flowered well in summer but was top heavy, with not much growth at the base or middle.

Thanks.

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    You can them back hard geefor. They're pretty robust. I'd take a bit off it at the moment, as they're best done after flowering and it's a bit late now, and then you can cut it back hard in spring. Give it a good feed and water when you do that, and it should perform well. A mulch after watering, to preserve moisture, will also help.

    They don't like to be in dryish ground, so don't let it go short of water, especially in summer image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511

    I agree with Fairygirl.  Without knowing exactly how big or tall  it is, hard to say how much to cut it back.  Is it in  a hedge, up a wall or what?  Also how old?  If big and old and really over grown, I would cut it back to about waist height, any time over the winter from now on will do.  It WILL survive!  It will soon grow away, in mild spells in the winter and then really take off in the spring.  Honeysuckles are tough.

    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • geeforgeefor Posts: 4

    Thanks for your helpful replies.  The honeysuckle is about 4 years old, grown against a wood fence and a bit straggly.  There are red berries on it at present which the birds seem to like so I have tried to take out any dead stems only.  However I'll give it a bit of a haircut and then get started in earnest in spring!  Thanks again.

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