Avoid trimming the plant during the blooming season, as this can halt growth and cause the flowers to wilt prematurely. Disinfect your pruning shears with rubbing alcohol or bleach before using them to reduce the spread of pests and diseases.

Cut infected and broken branches before “shaping” the bush by removing healthy branches.

Always use sharp pruning scissors or long-handled loppers to prevent minuscule cracks from forming in the branches.

If any part of the branch is extremely damaged or diseased, cut it back to a healthy main branch at the center of the bush, also called a “parent branch. ”

Avoid removing more than ⅓ of the healthy branches on your bush at any time, even if it is overgrown. If you have a lot of long branches at the top of the bush, you may want to trim some of those to the center of the bush. This can also increase the amount of sunshine that reaches the lower part of the shrub.

During the first few years of growing a honeysuckle vine, refrain from cutting more than 1/3 of the stems. Cutting too many stems off of the plant can cause it to die. Disinfect pruning shears with rubbing alcohol or bleach to reduce the spread of pests and diseases.

If one area has a lot of dead leaves, prune around the area with your scissors to increase light and air flow to that part of the vine.

If you want to redirect the vine, trim more off of one side of the plant to encourage growth in the opposite direction. Avoid trimming any stems from the bottom of younger plants, as this “old growth” tends to support the plant. Without it, the vine might die.

No matter where you’re cutting, use this technique to prevent diseases and pests from overtaking the vine.

Pruning in the winter also tends to increase flowering in the following years because the branches can heal completely before blooming. Avoid severely pruning honeysuckle more than 1 time every 2-3 winters. Over pruning could kill the bush.

In this case, it’s okay to cut even the oldest and thickest branches. They will make up the majority of the remaining bush and will produce new growth in the following years.

In this case, you will remove ⅓ of the branches each winter for 3 years in a row, until the bush is a reasonable size.