Honeysuckle problem.

My honeysuckles are not performing very well at all this year - in fact there's hardly any flower buds and my friend says that there appears to be a lot of water shoots at the base. I gave it a severe pruning last year as it was very congested and was wondering if maybe it was a bit too severe. I have a Dropmore scarlet which usually flowers early on in the year and a Belgica but can't remember the name of the other one . Could anyone explain what watershoots are , please ? I couldn't understand my friend's version - thanks Jean.

Remember 'Growth follows the Knife.'

The honeysuckle is doing its best to replace what you cut off.  Watershoots, more usually referred to on fruit trees are rapidly growing non-flaowering shoots.

You can tip them, but do not cut back so brutally and you will have lots of flowers next year.

Honeysuckle in hedges get trimmed every year, but not too radically, and they flower every year.

Thanks for that - yes just had a google about them. Well I suppose I won't be getting many flowers this year but the honeysuckle was in a bad way -  it does look better for it's haircut. I'll follow your advice and just give it a trim next time .

Don't worry they will put on a grand show next year.  Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and have a good clear out.

I have two honeysuckle which are approximately five years old.  Neither has flowered. No idea why but the leaves cover the fence so is a good background for other plants.  Crossing my fingers that they will do better this year.  Also had a mock orange which was pretty poor but have repositioned it and it's doing very well in deed.  May need to reposition them.  Putting off doing it though as its a big job.  I suspect it needs doing. Any ideas when the best time would be for doing this.  

I think that spring is a good time to move plants around, so that they are at the start of their active growth period and get the maximum amount of time to adjust and grow new roots etc. I am not sure I would attempt to move an established climber, though, especially as it sounds like such a good foil for other plants. I think there was something on last week's GQT about encouraging flowers.