When and how to prune honeysuckle in the fall for a good harvest

Honeysuckle is a fruit-bearing and ornamental shrub that does not require special attention during the growth period. But every owner of such a plant should know the types and rules of autumn pruning. Each type is carried out for a specific purpose - improving the health of the bush, giving the desired shape, obtaining a harvest of large berries. In this article we will tell you how to prune honeysuckle in the fall so that there is a good harvest and healthy bushes.

Why prune honeysuckle in the fall, what does it give?

Thickening of the crown during the spring-summer period will lead to poor fruiting next season. Without autumn pruning, the plant forms a lush green crown with the onset of spring, which will block the passage of sunlight to the flowers located deep in the plant.

In the middle of a dense green mass, flowers will not be pollinated by bees. Berries ripened in a thickened crown will become small and sour. If you do not prune for several years in a row, the bush turns into a wild plant.

Is pruning necessary?

Autumn pruning is carried out to clear honeysuckle from dried, damaged, diseased branches. The resulting multiple top shoots and numerous basal shoots greatly thicken the bush.

During pruning, the bush is formed correctly. A bush cleared of affected branches will be less susceptible to diseases and pest attacks.

Optimal timing of the procedure

The beginning of sap flow in honeysuckle occurs in early spring. During this period, the buds on the bush begin to swell. The first fruits appear in early June. In order not to damage the swelling buds at the beginning of spring and not to expose the bush to stress, pruning is carried out in the fall.

Attention! Spring pruning will significantly reduce yields. In addition, after spring pruning there is a risk of bush disease.

That's why pruning and formation of honeysuckle is carried out after the end of leaf fall. When the foliage is dropped, the bush is clearly visible. The procedure is carried out before the onset of persistent cold weather.

Each region has its own deadlines. In the central part of the country, pruning is carried out in late October - early November. At this time, the air temperature at night sometimes drops below zero. Earlier, in early October, pruning is not recommended, since at this time the plant is still sensitive to mechanical damage. This can weaken the bush in winter.

Interesting things on the site:

Instructions for transplanting honeysuckle to a new location

When and how to plant honeysuckle in the fall

When to cut honeysuckle: immediately after fruiting or in the fall

It is not recommended to prune the plant immediately after fruiting., since at this time the sap flow is still ongoing. It is better to carry out the procedure in the autumn. During this period, the shrubs begin a dormant period. Honeysuckle sheds its leaves, which indicates that the sap flow process has completed. The plant begins to prepare for the winter period, and pruning the branches will not cause significant stress, and the bush will retain its strength before the onset of cold weather.

Types of pruning

The formation of a honeysuckle bush begins at the age of 5 years. But if it is clear that the bush is not growing correctly in the first year of its life, the shape of the bush is immediately corrected. Pruning can be formative, rejuvenating, or sanitary.

Formative

Formative pruning gives the bush the correct shape. It is usually carried out at 3-5 years of plant life., repeat after 2 years.

Removed during pruning:

• old non-fruiting branches;
• lower branches resting on the ground;
• young shoots growing deep into the bush;
• branches growing vertically deep in the crown;
• excess young growth;
• weakened, thin shoots.

Also shorten branches with weak growth.

Important! Do not prune developed one-year-old shoots - they will bear fruit next season.

The honeysuckle bush should have about 5-7 strong skeletal branches. Old thick branches are cut to the point of growth of young shoots.

Rejuvenating

Honeysuckle branches grow quickly, so a 6-7 year old bush requires periodic partial rejuvenation. This procedure is necessary so that the crown of the bush does not thicken. On old branches there will be weak flowering and poor fruiting. If the bush is not pruned for several years, it will turn into a wild plant.

Rejuvenation can be partial or complete depending on the age of the plant. You can see the scheme for rejuvenating an old bush here.

Partial rejuvenation is carried out after 6-8 years of bush growth. At the same time, they try to thin out the thickened crown as much as possible. The branches located close to the base, which have slowed down in growth, are cut off, leaving a stump 12-15 cm high. Young, healthy shoots will begin to form on it next spring. When pruning, the central young stems are preserved. After the rejuvenation procedure, 6-7 branches should remain.

Reference! Experienced gardeners recommend removing a third of shoots older than 5 years at a time. It is better to trim the rest next season.

Complete removal of skeletal branches is not recommended, since after such a procedure, crown restoration slows down.

Partial rejuvenation is carried out every 3-4 years. With this agrotechnical method, honeysuckle fruiting is extended for several decades.

Shrubs that are more than 13-15 years old undergo complete (drastic) rejuvenation “under the stump”. This procedure is carried out before the onset of cold weather. All branches, regardless of age, are completely shortened, leaving stumps 45-50 cm high. During the next season, active growth of young shoots will occur. After radical rejuvenation, fruiting will occur no earlier than 2 years later.

Sanitary

Sanitary pruning is carried out if necessary. During the procedure, dry, broken branches are removed. Cut off disease-affected shoots. In case of severe damage by parasitic insects, the branches are also cut off. To treat honeysuckle, branches affected by fungus or pests are cut off along with a small section of a healthy stem.

How to prune honeysuckle correctly

To obtain a good harvest and proper formation of the bush the procedure is carried out in the upcoming dormant stage of the plant.

To properly trim, adhere to the following rules:

• rejuvenation and formation of honeysuckle is carried out after leaf fall - during this period the plant does not receive stress from mechanical damage;
• when working, use only disinfected, well-sharpened garden tools - a blunt tool will not cut straight, but will crush plant tissue;
• honeysuckle branches are fragile and can easily break if moved carelessly, so work is carried out carefully, without making any effort to pull the branches;
• so that the plant can more easily withstand mechanical stress, it is watered the day before the procedure;
• when shortening branches, take into account that maximum flexibility is observed in shoots in the morning;
• do not shorten the upper part of annual shoots;
• The upper parts of perennial branches are removed before branching, since the bulk of dormant fruit buds are concentrated in these places.

Honeysuckle bears fruit only on last year's shoots. The more shoots, the higher the yield of the bush.

Read also:

Guidelines for pruning sea buckthorn in autumn

Pruning grapes in autumn: how to do it correctly

When and how to prune raspberries correctly in the fall

Required materials and tools

For pruning you will need tools and materials:

• sharp garden shears or pruning shears;
• pruning knife;
• bulk container for collecting cut branches;
• fan rake for collecting small twigs and leaves;
• hacksaw;
• garden ripper;
• gloves;
• fresh mulch.

Trimming schemes

Schemes for formative autumn pruning of shrubs differ depending on the age of the plant:

1. In the first year of vegetation, the apical shoots are shortened, leaving 4 mature buds.
2. In the second year of growth, the bush forms several branches. In autumn they are also shortened.
3. In the third and fourth years, the resulting honeysuckle shoots are shortened in the fall in the same way, gradually forming a shrub.
4. In the fifth year, a trunk of 5-8 strong skeletal branches is formed. The lower branches are shortened before the growth of vertical shoots begins. A gap of 18-20 cm is left between the ground and the lower branches for further processing of the root circle. Remove shoots that grow deep into the bush and darken the middle of the crown. They also do not leave branches that are crooked, thin, or broken during the formation of the bush.

Step-by-step pruning instructions

If the honeysuckle bush is more than three years old and the foliage has already been shed, perform scheduled pruning.

Main stages of work:

1. Inspect the bush, clear the branches of any remaining dry leaves.
2. Inspect the base, clean the root circle from fallen leaves and mulch with a fan rake. Mark unnecessary lower branches in contact with the soil surface. Depending on the thickness of the branches to be removed, choose a garden tool. Thin branches are removed with sharp pruning shears. To remove thick old branches, you will need a strong hacksaw. Make cuts on branches at an angle of 45°.
3. Remove thin, vertically growing root shoots. These branches do not bear fruit and thicken the bush. As a result, the plant is poorly ventilated, the middle fruit-bearing branches are poorly illuminated, there is rare flowering and a lack of pollination.
4. Thin out the honeysuckle crown. Remove closely spaced, intertwining, interfering branches. You should not leave diseased, weak shoots on the bush.
5. Trim short, crooked branches. Remove numerous apical shoots that resemble an umbrella inflorescence.
6. You cannot shorten last year's shoots, since honeysuckle bears fruit only on one-year growth, and the maximum number of fruits is formed at the tops of the shoots. By cutting off such branches, you can be left without a harvest.
7. Form the plant so that the fruiting branches warm up well, are illuminated by sunlight and are available for picking berries.

Eventually the result should be an open, clearly visible bush with evenly spaced branches in quantities of 13-15 pcs. After treatment, honeysuckle will bear fruit well next season. After the procedure, the soil around the bush is loosened and fresh mulch is laid.

Features of pruning young honeysuckle

Young honeysuckle is not pruned in the first years - first it needs to grow a crown. But if the bush grows in an irregular shape, adjustments are made. If the roots of a purchased seedling are damaged, its shoots are shortened by a third. This contributes to better survival of the young bush.

Shortening long shoots stimulates their branching in the future. Some gardeners recommend leaving shoots 10-15 cm long on a young seedling to obtain a lush crown next season.

Old

After 8 years of life, the bush shows signs of aging. The tops of the branches dry out. The bush becomes thickened, and peeling of the bark is observed on the skeletal branches. Young shoots grow weakly, flowering is poor, and fruits are almost absent. The plant needs rejuvenation.

Dry areas of branches are removed to the point where tops form. If the bush is very old, it is recommended to completely trim the bush to a stump. In this case, all branches are cut off, leaving a length of 35-45 cm. Next season, a lush bush will grow from the shortened plant.

Decorative

Honeysuckle is not only a fruit, but also an ornamental shrub.. Decorative honeysuckle is pruned to give it the required shape. From several bushes you can create a dense hedge.To decorate gazebos and pergolas, vine-shaped honeysuckle is planted. Its size reaches 5-6 m. When growing an ornamental bush in the form of a trunk, the shoots are collected in a bunch and fixed to a vertical support. The lower thick branches in the middle of the bush are used as support. The lower growth is removed.

To maintain the shape of hedges, periodic pruning is necessary.. The first is carried out in early spring, before the buds swell. The branches are shortened to the required length, and dry ones are removed. The shoots are tied in the right direction. The second time pruning is carried out after flowering has ended. Cut off shoots protruding beyond the contour. In the fall, after dropping the leaves, sanitary pruning is carried out.

Processing slices

Sections are processed to prevent pathogens from penetrating into tissues.. Before processing, wait until the juice stops secreting and the cut dries. Apply garden var. You can buy it at garden centers or make it yourself.

For cooking take: 6 parts paraffin, 3 parts rosin, 1 part vegetable oil. The paraffin is heated over low heat, crushed rosin is poured into it, brought to a boil, and oil is added. Boil for 15-30 minutes, cool. The result is an elastic mass insoluble in liquid. Var is applied to the cut sites.

Attention! It is not recommended to use mineral oil to prepare garden varnish, as this makes it difficult to regenerate damaged plant cells.

Further care

Despite the fact that the bush is pruned after the end of sap flow, it receives stress. That's why gardeners advise fertilizing after the procedure. It is best to use humus or compost (10 liters for each bush).

Feed the plant with phosphorus and potassium: 10 g of superphosphate, 20 g of potassium sulfate are evenly scattered into shallow grooves around the bush, then watered. The soil around the bush is moistened - this will help the plant withstand extreme cold. Then the root zone of honeysuckle is insulated with sawdust and straw.

Conclusion

Annual pruning of fruiting honeysuckle in the autumn is a mandatory procedure. It is carried out to remove old, dry, diseased branches and excess growth. Using pruning, the shape and density of the bush is adjusted.

Correctly performed pruning helps to improve the health of the bush, produce larger berries and high yields in subsequent seasons.