Winter Honeysuckle in May: monthly care

Winter honeysuckle flowers on the previous season's wood, producing its fragrant white blooms from late winter into spring. Prune immediately after flowering finishes, in April or May, to avoid cutting off next year's flower buds. If you prune in autumn or winter, you'll remove the stems that carry the current season's blossom. This shrub has a naturally arching, somewhat sprawling habit and doesn't require heavy pruning to stay healthy. The main aim is to keep the plant tidy, encourage vigorous new growth, and prevent it becoming too congested. Use clean, sharp secateurs or loppers for stems up to about 2 cm thick; a pruning saw is useful for older, thicker branches. Start by removing any dead, damaged or diseased wood, cutting back to healthy tissue or to the base if necessary. Then take out one or two of the oldest, woodiest stems at ground level each year; this rejuvenates the shrub and makes space for younger, more floriferous growth. Thin out crossing or rubbing branches in the centre to improve air circulation and light penetration. You can shorten wayward shoots by up to a third to maintain shape, cutting just above an outward-facing bud. Avoid shearing the whole plant into a formal shape—winter honeysuckle looks best with a loose, informal outline. If an old, neglected specimen has become overgrown, you can renovate it by cutting all stems back hard to 30–50 cm in late spring, but expect little or no flower the following winter as the plant recovers.

Winter honeysuckle is low-maintenance once established. Water regularly during the first year, especially in dry spells, to help roots establish. After that, the shrub is fairly drought-tolerant and usually needs watering only during prolonged summer dry periods. On sandy soils, check moisture levels more frequently. Clay and loam soils generally retain enough moisture without intervention. Avoid waterlogging; moderate water need means the soil should stay evenly moist but never sodden. Feed once a year in March with a general-purpose granular fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone or Growmore, scattered around the base at the rate recommended on the packet. Alternatively, apply a 5 cm layer of well-rotted compost or manure as a mulch in early spring; this feeds the soil and suppresses weeds in one go. Renew mulch annually to maintain soil structure and moisture retention. Winter honeysuckle is hardy in zones 4a–8b and requires no special winter protection in temperate Europe. The flowers appear on bare stems in late winter and are valued for their sweet fragrance, so site the plant near a path or door where you'll notice the scent on mild days. Pests and diseases are rarely a problem. Aphids occasionally colonise soft new growth in spring; a strong jet of water or an insecticidal soap usually deals with them. Powdery mildew can appear on foliage in dry summers, particularly in sheltered spots with poor air circulation, but it's mostly cosmetic and doesn't seriously harm the plant. Ensure good spacing and thin congested growth during pruning to reduce the risk. No routine spraying is necessary.