How to Start Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a fast-growing and low-maintenance plant with both shrub and vine varieties. With over 180 species in the honeysuckle family, you'll find their fragrant flowers in shades of white, yellow, red and pink, all of which attract butterflies, bees and a variety of birds, most notably hummingbirds. These hardy, heat-tolerant plants bloom from late spring to late summer and require very little maintenance once established, though pruning may be necessary since honeysuckle grows quite rapidly. Honeysuckle makes an attractive shrub border but is most popular as a climbing vine for covering fences and trellises and creating privacy. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a planting site with partial to full sun and moist, preferably alkaline, soil. Honeysuckle vines will need a trellis, arbor or fence to climb so take that into consideration when scouting a growing site.
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Plant individual honeysuckle plants in early spring, as soon as the danger of frost is gone, about 2 feet apart and 6 to 12 inches away from your fence or trellis, if you're using one. Add some organic matter if your soil quality is poor.
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Water the plant thoroughly and water frequently enough to maintain evenly moist soil until you see some new growth.
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Apply a light application of balanced fertilizer every month during the growing season.
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Add a layer of leaf mulch to the base of the plant to conserve moisture as summer temperatures heat up.
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Lightly prune your honeysuckle plant for shape when the growing season is over. After about two years you can begin pruning more heavily, removing the extra woody growth or even cutting the plant down to the ground if it becomes overgrown.
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Water only when conditions become dry once honeysuckle is established; honeysuckle usually needs more water in summer and less in winter.
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Tips & Warnings
To propagate honeysuckle, cut a 3- to 6-inch section of soft new growth from the end of a vine, making sure to include a few sets of leaves on your cutting. Strip the leaves from the cut half of the vine, leaving the others undisturbed, and place the entire vine in a vase of water. Change the water regularly and plant the vine when you see new roots forming, usually after a week or two.
Don't plant honeysuckle too close to shrubs or small trees as it may climb and strangle them.
