- 1). Cut back individual overgrown stems after summer flowering to maintain an informal-looking plant. Trim the stems back to the leaf nearest the desired stem length, using a pair of shears.
- 2). Shear the top of the plant to the desired height using a pair of hedge shears, if you are growing a more formal hedge. Trim the sides with the shears so they are even, cutting so the bottom of the honeysuckle hedge is slightly wider than the top. If the top is wider, it shades out the bottom vines and they stop producing foliage.
- 3). Inspect the honeysuckle in spring before new growth begins. Cut out any dead or winter-damaged vines, removing each vine at its base with a clean cut from the pruning shears.
- 4). Rejuvenate overgrown honeysuckle that hasn't been pruned for several years. Cut the vines down to within 6 to 12 inches of the ground in spring before new growth begins. When severely pruned in this manner, the honeysuckle produces lush new growth that is easier to maintain, though it may not flower fully the first year after such a pruning.
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