Pruning honeysuckle

[Jonny.D]

The honeysuckle is going mad, climbing up the roses and into the peonies.



Would it be OK to cut it back where it is invading

[skeggijon]

Simple answer is yes lol. I'm always having to thwart my Honeysuckles ambitions of global domination.

[noviceveggrower]

My next door neighbours have a honeysuckle and I hack it down constantly. The one they have is very invasive. I cut it as far back as I possibly can on my side of the fence but it still comes back as bad as ever. I usually use a pair of shears on it anything smaller and I'd be there all day hacking it.

[PyreneesPlot]

I may be wrong, but I think if you cut it back now you'll not get a lot of flowers. But if it is out of control it certainly shouldn't kill it!

[skeggijon]

It does reduce the number of flowers a little, but once it gets to triffid proportions, it becomes less of a concern lol

[noviceveggrower]

Next door also have a rampant clematis and that is horrific to deal with. I have the clematis at the top of the garden and the honeysuckle down the bottom. When I cut it all down I just have to lower the car seats and shove it all in. I can fill my car with it all.
I'm just glad that next door has their bamboo in tubs. Don't think I could cope having to cut that down as well.

[skeggijon]

Oh God, don't talk to me about Bamboo. Got it sprouting up all over the place. Weed Suppressant membrane topped with gravel? No match for Bamboo!

[Jonny.D]

I may be wrong, but I think if you cut it back now you'll not get a lot of flowers. But if it is out of control it certainly shouldn't kill it!

That's what I read, I'm thinking it's flowers Vs control

[Jonny.D]

Any pointers on how far to prune this honeysuckle back with a view to it not overgrowing the surrounding plants?



TIA

[Jonny.D]

Can anyone offer any advice on this ??

[Martin H]

My experience of honeysuckles is that they can be cut back as hard as you like and they grow back twice as strong. You haven't said what species / variety you're growing. Some of them flower in the spring on last year's growth, in which case you won't get any flowers this year if you go right down. But others flower in summer on this year's growth, in which case you'll get some whatever you do.

The usual advice is to cut back after flowering unless you want to do major surgery in which case do it now.

Most honeysuckles are pretty vigorous, it looks like you are trying to keep it in a smaller space than it wants.

Personally I would fasten something to the fence, netting or trellis or something, so that it can climb up and cover the fence. Then I could trim it back to the framework after flowering and it would stay the same size. Without that it will carry on looking for something to twine round, i.e. your other plants.

Let us know how you get on (i.e. pics).

[bearded bloke]

Mine is done light cut in sping & then a good chopback after flowering finishes, both times it is done by the not so subtle ......... petrol heddge cutter

[WendyC]

I keep honeysuckle tied into wires running about a foot apart horizontally across the fence. Not sure how you'd attach them as I see you have concrete posts.

[Jonny.D]

Thanks for the replies everyone

My concerns were that it is blocking light to the right of it, so going on your advice I'm going to cut off the front half and train it along the fence at the back, I'll attach it to the wooden fence Wendy C

I don't know what species / variety it is Martin the flowers are yellow if that helps identify?

I moved it last year & it recovered well, though as Martin has rightly pointed out it does not have enough space.

Thanks again

[bend1pa]

If its flowers are yellow and white, starts to flower late May/early June and it pops up and smothers everything in sight (like bindweed) it's almost certainly Lonicera Japonica. It's the most vigorous of the honeysuckles and can be a real thug unless it's carefully controlled. But it's ideal for a large fence. Another id are black berries after the flowers rather than the red ones of the less invasive types.

If it is LJ, even moving it you may well leave some of it behind to regrow, so watch out for any stems that pop up out of the ground near the old location.