How to Prune Dropmore Honeysuckles

Dropmore honeysuckles are resilient plants that require minimal attention and are easy to maintain. As climbing plants, they should be pruned to climb onto a cage, trellis, wall or net. Pruning helps dropmore honeysuckles produce more flowers and can help train the plant to climb over a wall as desired.
Dropmore huneysuckles can be pruned as often or as infrequently as desired to develop the size and shape of the plant. As these are strong and durable plants, there is no need to be concerned about damaging the plant with too much pruning. Heavy pruning in the fall, right after the plant begins flowering, will foster increased growth and flowering in the spring.

Things You'll Need

• Curved bypass blade hand pruners Pruning loppers Pruning saw

Instructions

1. Cut off any dead, damaged, or discolored branches. Make all pruning cuts at an angle to enable water to run off and discourage disease from fostering in the cut. Remove stems by cutting approximately 1/8-inch out from where the stem branches off of the plant.

2. Thin branches as needed by pruning heavily in areas where numerous branches gather or cross.

3. Remove the top third of stems throughout the dropmore honeysuckle if your plant is too large or bushy. This will thin the plant out and manage growth.

4. Prune upper branches as needed to ensure that the lower part of the plant isn't shaded too much by thick upper growth. Sunlight should be able to reach the bottom of the plant to help develop a sturdy base.

5. Prune nearby plants to ensure that sunlight can reach the dropmore honeysuckle.

6. Pull any weeds or plants that sprout at the base of the dropmore honeysuckle and may rob it of nutrients.

7. 

   Use a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water to disinfect your pruning tools after use. This ensures that any diseases aren't spread between plants.

Tips & Warnings

• If you ever have specific questions about pruning, ask knowledgeable professionals at your local garden store.