Honeysuckle
Keep the root area cool and moist with mulch from planting — dry roots are the main cause of powdery mildew later.
Care
Flowers best with the top in sun, though tolerates more shade than many flowering climbers.
Standard climber watering.
Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; mulch to keep roots cool.
Prune after flowering, thinning congested growth; many types flower on the current season's growth so also respond well to a spring tidy.
A general feed with a thick mulch in spring, mainly to keep the root run cool and damp. A honeysuckle that is dry at the roots gets mildew, and no amount of fertiliser compensates for that.
Semi-ripe cuttings in summer, or hardwood cuttings in autumn — both root easily. Stems that touch the ground often layer themselves, which is the quickest route of all.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- MarchFeed and mulch as growth resumes. how ›
- JuneEnjoy scented flowers, a magnet for moths and other pollinators at dusk. how ›
- JulyThin congested growth after flowering. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
- MarchFeed and mulch as growth resumes. how ›
- JuneEnjoy scented flowers, a magnet for moths and other pollinators at dusk. how ›
- JulyThin congested growth after flowering. how ›
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Dense on soft new growth and flower buds.
What to do. Encourage predators, hand-squash if severe.
How to spot it. Especially if the roots dry out.
What to do. Mulch to keep roots cool and moist.
How to spot it. Caterpillars stripping leaves.
What to do. Remove by hand.
Popular varieties
Questions
Honeysuckle: is it hardy?
H6: Hardy in the vast majority of UK gardens. It survives down to −20 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
For a few years while young, though ultimately prefers open ground with a permanent climbing support.
Honeysuckle: when do you prune it?
Prune after flowering, thinning congested growth; many types flower on the current season's growth so also respond well to a spring tidy. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in July.
Honeysuckle: when does it flower?
In the climate of UK it flowers in June–July.
When do you feed it?
A general feed with a thick mulch in spring, mainly to keep the root run cool and damp. A honeysuckle that is dry at the roots gets mildew, and no amount of fertiliser compensates for that. Feeding months, UK: April.