Honeysuckle Problems

Cliecost

Hi,

I have a Huneysuckle that, when I bought it, was half the size it is now. When I first planted it obviously it was green and look healthy, it grew quickly, looking green and healthy and doubled in size (no flowers, but that was expected as it's the first year).

It then started taking a turn for the worse, the stalks started turning brown and twig like and the leaves started to fall off.

I assumed it was that week of summer we had and maybe it dried out the roots, so I started watering it until our true summer returned and it's got a few green shoots at the end of the brown twiggy stalks but nothing about the main body of the plant has changed and the leaves on the main body still continue to fall.

I've attached a pic but does anyone know of a food or technique to get it back to being lush and green again?

Thanks.

annie123

It needs feeding. I'd go for a balanced fertiliser something like Growmore.
It needs to establish a good root system first, then stems and leaves then flowers once everything else is happy.

http://www.nvsuk.org.uk/growing_show_vegetables_1/fertilisers.php

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=304

In case you're in a rare dry spot in the uk, do keep it well watered for the first year or two whilst it's roots grow down.

elisaves

Great advice Annie,
I would feed it too and water it if it doesn't rain for few days, some climbers, bushes need a year or two to get established don't worry

dixie_dean_2

Pardon the innuendo but my bush is big and wild but no flowers and looks a bit straggly. Prune and feed?