How to prune honeysuckle

The first method: tree pruning

The six-year-old four-season honeysuckle has grown into a tree shape. It was planted in the vegetable garden for three years and then moved to a flower pot for another three years. This kind of honeysuckle has green branches and leaves, and there are not too many branches. Is it necessary to prune it? Yes, only by pruning can the tree grow more luxuriantly.

The first-level branches of this honeysuckle are the main trunk. When they grow to a height of one person, they have already been beheaded. Second-level branches grow on the first-level branches, and third-level branches grow on the second-level branches. These three-level branches can be retained according to your needs. Generally speaking, new buds and branches that sprout on the first, second, and third level branches will bloom more and stronger flowers. Old branches basically do not bloom, and if they do, they only bloom sporadically. So after the flowers bloomed at the end of last year, 4/5 of the branches above the third level were cut off, leaving only a small part. This time, the pruning is to remove all those branches.

Generally speaking, new buds will sprout at the root of every old branch, so replacing the old with the new and liking the new is the best choice. The large section of old branches in front of the new sprouts in the picture can be cut off. Because not only do they not bloom, they also compete with new shoots for nutrients. Therefore, all the first four level old branches must be cut off. Do not be reluctant to do so, because only by giving up can you gain.

Pruning should be done from bottom to top, and each branch should be cleaned carefully. After repairing, check again to see if there are any fish that have slipped through the net. Most of these cut branches are of no use and are not suitable for cuttings. First, the temperature is too low and it is difficult for them to take root. Second, the branches are aging and unhealthy and lack vitality. They are not as good as the branches that bloom in the same year.

The second method: potted plant pruning method

The previous introduction introduced how to prune a relatively tall honeysuckle supported by wooden pillars. The following introduction introduces how to prune a potted honeysuckle with a height of about 30 cm. For this kind of small bonsai honeysuckle, in addition to leaving the third-level branches, the focus of pruning is to make them form an umbrella shape, which is more beautiful.

This is a two-year-old honeysuckle. It was planted in the autumn of the year before last and settled in a flowerpot last spring. It has already grown three levels of branches. The problem now is to make it grow into an umbrella shape as quickly as possible.
These are two ten-year-old red honeysuckle trees with upright branches and beautiful shapes. As there is not much space available for growth, pruning is even more important. In addition to the methods mentioned above, the most important thing is to maintain the shape and make the plants as dense as possible. Leave more branches in places with fewer branches, and heavily prune those with more branches.

The third type: climbing pruning method

Many of my friends have anti-theft nets at home, and honeysuckle is a flower that is very suitable for climbing. How to make its seedlings climb up the anti-theft nets as quickly as possible requires timely pruning and care. The key to pruning is to leave only one or two new shoots and wipe out the rest, so that they can concentrate nutrients, strive upward, and strive to climb to the top of the anti-theft net in the shortest time.

After a month, these small honeysuckle seedlings have grown to more than 50 centimeters in height. At this time, they need to be tied to the anti-theft net with ropes. Many friends have semi-enclosed balconies at home, and they must be helped to climb up from the security net which is more than one meter high. Once they are on the anti-theft net, they will be like fish in water and no longer need to be pulled. In the process of pulling the rope, the lower leaves and new shoots should also be wiped off, generally leaving only two to three pairs of leaves. This action should be repeated continuously until it climbs up the anti-theft net and then takes other measures.

The four large honeysuckle trees on the anti-theft net also underwent a major pruning, all of which were trimmed into neat short flat heads, and all the old third-level branches were removed. A month later, there are new branches full of vitality, and flower buds have begun to appear on them.