Honeysuckle in February: monthly care

Honeysuckle requires only light pruning to keep it healthy and within bounds. The best time is February or March, just before new growth begins. Pruning at this time allows you to see the framework clearly and avoids cutting off the current season's flowering shoots, as Lonicera periclymenum blooms on both old and new wood during summer and late summer. Start by removing any dead, damaged, or diseased stems entirely, cutting back to healthy wood or to the base. Next, thin out congested growth in the centre of the plant to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of powdery mildew, a common problem in crowded, shaded tangles. Cut out about one in three of the oldest, woodiest stems at ground level to encourage fresh, vigorous growth from the base. This also prevents the plant becoming a bare, leggy mass at the bottom with all the flowers out of sight at the top. If your honeysuckle has outgrown its space or become unruly, you can prune more drastically. It tolerates hard renovation: cut the entire plant back to 30–60 cm above ground level in late winter. You'll sacrifice one season's flowers, but the plant will regenerate strongly. Use clean, sharp secateurs for stems up to pencil thickness and loppers or a pruning saw for anything thicker. After pruning, tie in the remaining or emerging stems to their support and apply a general-purpose fertiliser and a fresh layer of mulch to fuel regrowth.