Poorly Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle is about 5 yrs old and usually fine, but I noticed yesterday lots of black dead stems and the leaves are very shrivelled. We've had a lot of rain recently - so might it be that? Or are there any diseases honeysuckle is prone to?

 

I don't recognise the black stems and shrivelled leaves but it sounds like either a fungal-based blight or aphids according to this -

Brown and Curled Leaves on Honeysuckle

Is mildew one of your issues? Mine seems to get mildew most years, even though I don't water it. Last year it did pretty well and not too much mildew at all, but it grew really vigorously so by the end of the year there was lots of leafless, woody growth towards the bottom. I cut it right back and it seemed to do really well this spring, producing lots of fresh stems and leaves, but now it's covered in mildew.

We have had quite a damp few weeks, on and off, so not sure if it dislikes the wet? Mine's planted in a small west-facing bed of compost/improved soil. Climbing up a trellis so gets sun from mid-late morning until 8pm ish. A well established bleeding heart and some spring bulbs are the only other things in the bed.

Any tips on how to keep the mildew at bay much appreciated.

 

Some varieties of honeysuckle are martyrs to mildew....Serotina for example.
The solution, I think, is to keep well watered and generously mulched. A balanced feed too.
You said it’s been damp recently AndyS but against a fence or wall it can be pretty dry. I would make a reservoir and drench the plant before mulching. Mildew is usually caused by dryness at the roots I think

 

Ah, right. I always thought mildew was a sign of too much damp rather than water stress, thanks for putting me straight. I'll have to cut out a lot of the infected growth too I guess. And I'll start to feed it every couple of weeks, something I've never really bothered to do.

Thanks.

 

It has been pretty wet here too, and I have never fed my poor honeysuckle. TY gardeners.