How to Plant Honeysuckle Vines

Overview

Appreciated for its heavily scented blooms, honeysuckle is a fast-growing vine or tall shrub. As a perennial, honeysuckle produces new growth each spring and blooms from late spring through late summer. Honeysuckle can reach 10 to 20 feet in length depending on the variety. Plant honeysuckle vines across an arbor, gateway arch or over a wooden fence. Honeysuckle can also be used as a ground cover.

Step 1

Check the variety of honeysuckle, shying away from the Asian varieties that have proven to be invasive. The Goldflame variety, for instance, is native to the U.S. and has fewer berries than Asian varieties of honeysuckle, making it less invasive.

Step 2

Choose a location next to a support structure to plant the honeysuckle vines. The location should contain well-drained soil and be sunny or have all-day filtered sun. Plant honeysuckle in fall or early spring.

Step 3

Dig the hole by the support structure. The hole should be three times as wide and twice as deep as the rootball of the plant. The large hole helps in root expansion and development. Place the container of honeysuckle in the hole to gauge how much soil needs to be returned to the bottom of the hole so the dirt level in the container is level to the ground. If planting more than one vine, space them about 5 feet apart or according to the nursery plant tag.

Step 4

Remove the plant from the container and place it in the hole. Backfill the hole halfway and then water. Finish backfilling the hole.

Step 5

Cut back the top of the vine to about 18 inches tall. Shorter vines do not need pruning unless there are weak or contain broken stems. Loosely tie the vine to structure.

Step 6

Apply 3 inches of mulch and keep the roots covered to avoid dry-out. Water slowly and deeply after planting and every 7 to 10 days, spring through fall, if there is no rainfall.