How do I get really lush honeysuckle and jasmine?

[sizeofalentil]

I've planted several types of honeysuckle and jasmine around the garden in different spots to add interest / grow around arches / hide ugly walls and give privacy.

The jasmine seems to be doing ok, but the honeysuckle all looks a bit weedy a year on - woody brown stems and not many shoots or leaves.

The plants are from different places and are in different spots in the garden, so different light intensities, different soil, some in tubs, some in the ground etc. The only common theme is that the honeysuckle doesn't seem to be thriving.

What can I do to both to make it happier and healthier?

Honeysuckle responds to hard pruning in the spring. Even into old wood, then you should see it thicken up.

Agree with the hard pruning -- I had to cut mine right down to the ground so could access a wall that needed work. It looked awful and I thought I'd killed it (though wasn't that bothered as it had always been a bit weedy). This year its bounced back and looks great.

I gave it a bit of manure round the base as well.

Oh and if its in a tub - honeysuckle usually does better in the ground.

Honeysuckle...treat it mean! I've been awful to mine and it seems to be thriving

Have a new baby one to plant and am hoping it does as well

I'm too scared to prune it, in case I kill it or something! Maybe I'll woman up and give it a good prune in spring? Realise I've just asked you all a question, got some amazing advice, then just announced I'm going to ignore it. Sorry. I am a nervous gardener.

paradoxicalInterruption - ah, fucksocks. The ones in tubs are next to doors and growing over an arch. Is there anything I can do to make them happier? Maybe give them some nice rotted down chicken poo from our chickens?

The one that seems to be doing best, by miles, is in the ground in a shaded spot. It's near a giant buddelia bush-turned-tree so has a lot of well-rotted leaves at the bottom. I didn't think it would grow there at all tbh. It's sister that's in sunlight is miserable.

In their natural habitat honeysuckles grow in woody environments with their roots in the shade and then they climb up towards the sun. If they're too hot they get a bit miserable.