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Questions & Answers - Honeysuckle
Dried Up & Died
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From: Lesley, UK |
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We have (or had should I say) a lovely large Honeysuckle which came in to bud, and then suddenly they all dried up and died on us. Any help as to what went wrong, and how we can avoid the same situation another year, would be appreciated. |
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From Alex M, UK
Hi Lesley, It would have helped if I new where your Honeysuckle was sited i.e. in sun or shade. They prefer light shade particularly around the base of the plant. This can be achieved by planting another plant along side it to shade the base if it is in full sun.
This season has been rather funny in as much as at times we have had too
much water(rainfall) followed by dry spells,the latter I think might
have been your problem,try mulching around the base of the plant as well
as shading it...........A
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No
Flowers
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From:
Karen, UK |
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I bought a Lonicera Periclymenum Belgica at least 2 summers ago
and it hasn't flowered yet. I water it regularly as and when needed.
It is continuously growing though. Should I prune it later this
year and hope for the best next year? If so when shall I prune it
and how far back? Any tips, as I love honeysuckle and am very disappointed
that it hasn't flowered yet? Thanks in hope |
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From Josh, UK These
plants are normally very generous with blooming early and well
so I'm not sure what the problem might be. Lonicera heckrotti
(Goldflame) blooms on new growth and will bloom as long as the
plant continues in active growth. Goldflame pruning would be done
in winter or very early spring. Lonicera sempervirens (Trumpet
Honeysuckle) blooms on old wood from the previous season and occasionally
on new wood of the current season so any pruning would be done
in spring immediately after flowering. Is it possible you have
been pruning at the wrong time? Another possible reason is lack
of sun, but since they are growing well I would suspect the pruning
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No Flowers
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From: Aimee, UK |
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Could you please advise me what to do with a 5 year old honeysuckle that has only flowered once in the first year! I have planted clematis' near it to encourage pollination, but to no avail. If you have any deas I would be delighted to hear them. Thank you |
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From Mr Clark, UK
It could be you planted it in the wrong place. I had a similar problem with a hop plant; it failed to grow at all. Now it is in the right location it shows rampant growth every season. The same happened with 3 clematis plants up against the garage wall. Now they are on a double, 6x6 open pea netting frame (4x1 batons for the top, sides and bottoms - 6ft high). They are in flower now.
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No Flowers
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From: Roz, UK
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I have a Honeysuckle with no flowers and withered leaves. What has caused this and what is the solution? |
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Honeysuckle leaf blight, caused by the fungus Insolibasidium deformans, is a common foliar disease of honeysuckle. This disease can infect most species and varieties of honeysuckle. The fungus survives winter in fallen leaves infected the previous year. In the spring, spores are rain splashed or wind blown to newly formed honeysuckle leaves. There they start new infections.
The first symptoms of honeysuckle leaf blight are crinkling and rolling of newly formed leaves. Within a few days the interveinal tissue turns yellow and brown.
Brown lesions surrounded by yellow halos may be visible on some leaves.
Infected leaves eventually turn brown and curl. Severely infected leaves drop prematurely. A white bloom of spores, produced during cool, humid weather, may develop on both leaf surfaces, but is generally heavier on the lower surface. These spores cause new infections on young leaves as they emerge. The disease will continue throughout the growing season if conducive weather is present.
This disease seldom seriously affects honeysuckle, but cultural practices usually provide adequate control of the disease. Prune severely infected foliage during the growing season. Rake and remove fallen leaves in the Autumn.
Prune dead or dying stems and selectively prune plants to increase air circulation.
Water plants at the base early in the day to avoid prolonged wetting of the foliage. Under favourable conditions, cool temperatures (59º-64ºF) and high humidity, severe defoliation of the plant may occur. In severe cases, a spring application of systemic fungicide such as benomyl may be helpful.
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No Flowers
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From: Valerie, UK |
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My honeysuckle (Ionicra Halliana) has been in bloom for almost 3 years but the flowers have got less and less. Now this year there is plenty of greenery but no flowers at all. Any ideas where I am going wrong or if there is anything I can do to remedy the matter. |
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From Elizabeth, UK
I have read your question but honestly have no idea what the problem could be. However I can tell you what I would do ..............dig it out, shake the roots carefully and stand it in a bucket of water. You never know, there may be something down there enjoying itself at your plants expense. Honeysuckle are coming into leaf now but I would trim it back to a few inches. Give the roots a really good dowsing and inspect them carefully before replanting - somewhere well away from the original spot. I hope you think this is worth a try. Best of luck anyway...........
From Alex M, UK (via Peter Seabrook in last weeks Amateur Gardening)
Quote - "One of the best is evergreen but it can be tricky to flower. You have to be patient, let it grow rough, don't prune it too much or it will produce a lot of foliage and no flowers. Once it gets going the flowers are stunningly scented" - Thats all I have to offer - Sorry.
From Sharon J, UK
If the growth that you have is green and healthy I would say that your honeysuckle is too happy where it is. Where they grow best in the wild is usually in hedgerow and woodland areas where they have to compete for food and are a little 'stressed'. Also I have found that they prefer to have their feet cool and their heads in the sun.
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Pruning
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From: Kirsty S, UK |
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Hi, Can someone advise me of the following? When should I prune my cork screw willow? It has become rather messy and I am not sure if I can prune now or wait until spring.
When should I prune and move a honeysuckle? It has grown quite large and I would like to move it. |
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From Michael Barratt, the Gardeners Club resident gardener
The corkscrew willow, Salix Babylonica pekinensis 'Tortuosa' are best pruned in the spring just before the leaves break. Willows are notoriously prone to die-back if pruned at the wrong time, and can result in younger specimens may die. In the case of the honeysuckle regardless of variety it will need to be pruned back very hard, maybe to 1 or 1.5m, and transplanted during the winter. Pruning generally, will depend on the variety, as they can flower most of the season. If in doubt, then prune immediately after flowering, to remove the risk of removing any immanent flowering growth.
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Pruning
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From: Diane S, UK |
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On moving to my new house a couple of years ago I inherited a large Honeysuckle in my back garden. I have so far left if to its own devices but would love to know how and when it should be pruned - it seems very untidy with lots of old woody stems, although it has previously flowered in the mid summer months. |
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From Albert D, UK
The hardy type honeysuckles are almost impossible to kill through pruning. You can cut them back as low as you like even to within a couple of inches of the ground and they'll come back fighting. I had three in a position where I wanted to plant an hedge so I cut them back to ground level. The leylandii hedge is now controlled at 6 ft high but each year new shoots from 4 to 5 ft grow out from the stumps although I cut them back each year. Immediately after flowering using secateurs and saw cut everything back to a height which given 3 to 4 ft of new growth is the eventual height you wish them to flower If you have patience and would like them to have flowers from almost ground level to top then twine them round their support forcing them to remain low. do the same with next years new shoots and so on ad infinitum. You can even train soft high shoots downwards to fill up the bottom. Do it gradually or they will snap.
From Alex M, UK
Thin out old wood and generally tidy up after flowering. Then each year thereafter cut new growth back by half until you have the desired affect and height you want then all you should need to do there after is trim with shears annually
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