Mouldy Overgrown Honeysuckle

eyewy

I have a 3 year old climbing honeysuckle "Cream Cascade", planted against a shady, north-west facing wall.  After a good start in year one it is now performing badly.  Year two and last year it had leaves infected with a grey mould, which dropped off frequently.  I sprayed 2 or 3 times with a leaf-mould product on the advice of my local garden centre - this seemed to help after a few months, but this year it has become very straggley, bare in the middle, but with decent growth at the top (about 10 feet high & still growing).  The mould has persisted again this year. I have another of the same variety & age, planted on a south facing fence with mould on the leaves this year.  Am I wasting my time - what action could you recommend ?

Last edited: 05 June 2017 17:47:04

Dovefromabove

Honeysuckle needs lots of moisture at the roots ...  being planted against walls and fences often means that they're in a rainshadow and don't get enough water ... drought then weakens the plant and they succumb to powdery mildew.  

Try giving each of your honeysuckles a bucket full of water each twice a week from early March onwards until autumn,  whether it rains or not.

I think they'll be much happier.

Mine are planted against a fence on a shady north-facing bank ... even there they get too dry at the roots.  A few years ago I installed a Seeper Hose along that bed and turn it  on for at least an hour two or three evenings a week, in the spring and summer whatever the weather.  They're healthier and flowering so much better now.