Pruning technique of Honeysuckle

The pruning of honeysuckle has a direct impact on the yield. Different varieties and flower ages have different pruning methods. If the pruning is good, the yield can be increased by 30% to 40%. But at present, most growers do not know much about the pruning technology of honeysuckle, especially the new growers do not know how to cut and when to cut, resulting in less flowering, non-concentration of flowering, low yield and so on. The Institute of Medicinal Materials has summarized the practical experience of pruning Flos Lonicerae in recent years. Here are some suggestions on pruning for readers' reference.

Pruning according to the variety

At present, there are two main cultivated varieties of Flos Lonicerae: Flos Lonicerae and Flos Lonicerae. The large hairy flower is commonly known as Maohua, which is pier-shaped, short and loose, with no buds at the end of the branches, hypertrophy of buds, long branches, suitable for winding, late flowering, well-developed roots, drought resistance and barren soil, which is suitable for cultivation in mountain fields. Chicken claw flower buds grow at the top, concentrated in clusters, shaped like chicken feet, thick, short and erect branches, compact pier shape, flowering earlier than large hairy flowers, but smaller flowers, suitable for dense planting in the plain. (1) pruning of large hairy flowers: large hairy flowers grow in the shape of grapes, with a crown width of more than 1 meter, and the presbyopia stump with long branches should be re-cut, truncated, thinned and combined; stumps with strong growth are mainly cut to promote branches and accelerate the expansion of pier crown. This variety should be pruned into natural shape or other shape according to the conditions of the growing place, and the long branches and over-dense branches should be re-cut to make their distribution uniform and reasonable. (2) pruning of the chicken claw flower: the chicken claw flower is mainly three-dimensional growth, the trunk is obvious, the branches do not touch the ground, and the crown width is about 80cm. Pruning should be done to remove the top, clear the foot clump, hit the inner chamber, trim too long branches, diseased and weak branches, withered branches, and extend downward branches, so that the branches are upright in clumps, the trunk is stout and the branches are uniform. Generally, this variety should be cut into an umbrella shape, with good ventilation and light transmission, many new branches and many buds.

2. Pruning according to the age of flowering

(1) infancy: generally honeysuckle is young from planting to the fourth year, which can be re-pruned and trimmed to make it stereotyped. The specific method is to cut off the upper part of the honeysuckle branch with a height of 50 cm to promote the rapid germination and growth of lateral buds, so as to cut off the downward branches every year, and trim the elongated branches into a reasonable plant shape according to different varieties.

(2) flowering period: the flowering period of honeysuckle is 420 years. In this period, it is appropriate to cut heavily the weak and dense branches, and gently cut the two-year-old and strong branches. At the same time, four leaves and four shears are carried out, four are left as strong buds, full buds, upper branch buds, upward branches, four shears are cut down branches, buds, weak branches and thin buds, and the buds germinated at the base are wiped off to reduce the consumption of nutrients.

(3) Aging period: the characteristics of honeysuckle senescence are: sparse leaves, light color, old and withered branches, thin flowers, thin crown and atrophy. At this time, the withered branches should be cut completely, the diseased branches should be cut heavily, the weak branches should be cut lightly, and the strong branches should not be cut.

Third, pruning time

Generally pruning 4 times a year, namely: (1) spring shearing, the first stubble flowers are harvested in early June, with the trunk 40 cm de-topping mainly. (2) Summer pruning was carried out after the second stubble flowers were harvested in late July to cut off the tip of meristematic lateral branches, mainly light shearing. (3) Autumn shearing is carried out after three stubble flowers are harvested in the first ten days of August, mainly light cutting. (4) Winter pruning, harvesting the last crop of flowers, and after the nutrients of the branches and vines return to the main branches and roots, they can be pruned from December to February of the following year.