Marianne's Response

Fungus on “Late Dutch Honeysuckle”

My “Late Dutch Honeysuckle” plant leaves show signs of brown spots on the leaves. The leaves are eventually dying one by one. I have been spraying the leaves with “Safer Garden Fungicide.” Is that the correct solution to fight this fungus? How often show I spray the leaves?

Posted by Kathryn Farmer on May 13, 2019

Marianne's Response

Honeysuckles or Lonicera need good drainage and good air circulation to avoid leaf blights and the fungus among us.  One strategy is to cut the vines to within one foot of the ground each spring so that the new growth that will quickly emerge can be fresh and disease free. Another is to thin the vines by removing one third of the branches starting at the base of the plant to open up the growth and improve air circulation. If the leaves are falling from the plant with more than a third of the foliage infected then I suggest to cut the vine to within one foot of the ground now and wait for a fresh start. Do not compost the pruning debris if it is infected. A healthy plant is most likely to resist disease so don't let the roots dry out and feed with a slow release plant food like Osmocote every spring. Do not wet the foliage by using any overhead watering. Honeysuckle can be a challenge to keep disease free but that sweet scent is worth the extra effort. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti