Honeysuckle leaf drop

Cswaters59

For the last few years, my well established honeysuckle starts to lose it's leaves in May and does not flower very well.  Regardless of weather conditions, (we've had them all over the past few years!) by July/August it will have hardly any leaves at all.  I hope the photos will help identify the problem.  Any advice will be most welcome.

Dovefromabove

That’s Powdery Mildew which affects plants that are stressed, usually by drought. 

 Have a look here 
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/comment/2203389#Comment_2203389

I hope that helps 😊 

Cswaters59

Thank you for your response.
Apart from more water, is there anything else I should do?

Dovefromabove

You can gather up any fallen leaves and bin them if you like, although I never have ... there are so many fungal spores in the air there seems little point. 

Plenty of water now until mid Sept and the same next year from mid March onwards. 

🤔 it’s not planted in a pot is it?  It has got plenty of soil so it can get it’s roots down nice and deep hasn’t it?

BobTheGardener

Powdery mildew and honeysuckle go together like roses and blackspot - all you can do is try and emulate the growing conditions they prefer, which in the case of honeysuckle is a permanently damp woodland edge in dappled shade.