In no time at all, the honeysuckle wound itself up the facade of the house. With its numerous shoots, it takes up entire walls and provides the missing juicy green! But it doesn't always look formidable. Sometimes it hardly grows and wilts. A cut can help!

Professional pruning of honeysuckle will encourage good growth and give it a beautiful shape

Thinning cut: Summer is the best time

The goal of thinning honeysuckle is to allow more light and air to reach the central shoot or shoots. Among other things, this reduces the risk of diseases such as powdery mildew. Ordinary, but sharp and clean pruning shears are suitable for cutting.

In general, the honeysuckle is considered to be well tolerated by pruning. This is how you proceed with the clearing cut in summer (alternatively in spring):

  • remove shoots that are too dense
  • remove dead shoots
  • remove annoying side shoots
  • Cut off overlapping tendrils

Pruning: Older ones should be pruned, younger ones should be cut gently

In the spring between January and March or in late autumn before the first frost period is the perfect time for a heavier pruning. Such a stronger pruning is especially necessary when the honeysuckle is bare. This happens, for example, in old age, but also due to a too shady location.

Following such a cut, the honeysuckle will sprout again and branch out better. The following aspects are noteworthy:

  • do not radically cut away all central shoots
  • remove old, withered shoots
  • cut older specimens down to 50 cm above the ground
  • use sharp pruning shears
  • cut through each shoot individually to avoid bruising

Old wood does not always drift

Although various experts claim that the honeysuckle can handle a cut in the old wood. Sometimes that's not the case. With bad luck, after a radical pruning, there will be a sparse aftergrowth or the plant will die. The green young shoots, on the other hand, tolerate cutting much better.

Cut off diseased shoots

Even if the honeysuckle is growing properly, pruning may be necessary, for example, if it is affected by diseases. Diseased plant parts should be removed immediately. For example, the honeysuckle is attacked by powdery mildew, especially when it is dry in summer.

After cutting, take cuttings

If you cut back the honeysuckle in spring or thin it out in summer, you can use some of the shoots to propagate. These should be slightly woody shoots. The honeysuckle can thus be propagated without any problems (propagation by cuttings). The lower leaves are removed and the cutting is placed in a pot with potting soil.

tips and tricks

Make sure you make the cut cleanly. Otherwise there is an increased risk of fungal diseases settling.

Category:

Vegetable garden