Let me tell you about the ease of growing honeysuckle as a houseplant in terms of greenery and flowers. Let's follow the editor and take a look!
Is Honeysuckle Easy to Cultivate as a Houseplant?
Honeysuckle has good drought resistance, but growth will be limited if it is water deficient for a long time. Additionally, due to the limited amount of potting soil in a container, the soil's water storage capacity is low. It is important to supplement water during maintenance. We can use the dryness of the topsoil layer at about 3 centimeters deep as a reference standard. In high summer and autumn temperatures, water can be given in the evening of the same day, and daily misting can be done to cool and increase humidity.
It is no problem to grow honeysuckle indoors as a potted plant because it is tolerant to low temperatures and poor soil, making it very easy to care for.
Generally, honeysuckle is cold-resistant, but it grows better in an environment with temperatures between 20°C and 25°C. Therefore, it is better to move the potted honeysuckle indoors for maintenance during the winter in the north.
Actually, honeysuckle can not only be planted in the ground but also in pots. Its root system is very developed, so there is no pressure with potting. How should we pot it normally, and why do many gardening enthusiasts find it difficult to grow well in their homes?
First, Seedlings, Soil:
Honeysuckle grows fast in the field but slowly in a pot. It is recommended to purchase old honeysuckle stakes that have been grown in the ground for many years and use a larger pot for planting.
For the planting soil, it is suggested to use a mixed soil, combining garden soil, humus, and river sand in equal parts (1/3 each) to plant honeysuckle. To ensure sufficient nutrients, a small amount of chicken manure or sheep manure can be buried at the bottom of the pot as a base fertilizer.
Second, Maintenance Environment:
Honeysuckle enjoys sunlight but also has good shade tolerance. In a location with about 3 hours of sunlight, the vines grow better with larger leaves, but fewer flowers will bloom.
When maintaining a potted plant at home, it is best to ensure about 5 hours of sunlight a day to encourage more flowering. In high summer, appropriate shading is needed.
Honeysuckle is a semi-hardy plant and is widely cultivated in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Depending on the variety, plants in the south generally have larger leaves and looser main stems, while those a bit further north have smaller leaves and denser wood.
It can tolerate temperatures of about minus 8 degrees Celsius in the north. For potted honeysuckle at home, consider moving it indoors when the temperature drops below 5 degrees Celsius to survive the winter.
Third, Watering Method:
Honeysuckle has good drought resistance, but growth will be restricted if it is water deficient for a long time, especially with the limited potting soil and low soil water storage capacity in a container.
Attention should be paid to supplementing water during maintenance. We can use the dryness of the topsoil layer at about 3 centimeters deep as a reference standard.
In high summer and autumn temperatures, water can be given in the evening of the same day, and daily misting can be done to cool and increase humidity. In spring and winter, watering can wait until the soil is completely dry.
Fourth, Fertilization Method:
In spring, honeysuckle enters a period of vigorous growth. It is best to use urea, which is richer in nitrogen, to promote the growth of branches and new buds, and then switch to organic fertilizer to supplement nutrients.
Urea should be diluted with water at a ratio of 600:1, and organic fertilizer can be used in the form of matured soybean cake fertilizer, diluted with water at a 1:3 ratio to water the soil.
A month before the flowering period, a solution of potassium dihydrogen phosphate at 1200 times the concentration can be used as a foliar fertilizer. Applying it three times at intervals of 7 days can effectively promote flowering.
Fifth, Pruning:
Honeysuckle vines are climber-like. When the vines grow to about 25 centimeters, stakes can be used to support them, allowing the vines to climb on the stakes.
In spring to summer, the vines should be combed and pruned based on their density, thinning out dense branches.
Unnecessary suckers should not be retained and should be combed when they reach about 10 centimeters. Spring sprouts can promote root growth and do not need to be removed too early.
The above is the related content about whether honeysuckle is easy to grow as a houseplant, hoping it is helpful to you!