Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Tellmann's honeysuckle (Lonicera x tellmanniana)— schedule & NPK
Also called Tellmann's honeysuckle, Redgold honeysuckle.
More about tellmann's honeysuckle
About Tellmann's honeysuckle
Lonicera x tellmanniana · also called Tellmann's honeysuckle, Redgold honeysuckle · flowering
A spectacular hybrid climbing honeysuckle (L. sempervirens x L. tragophylla) bearing large, coppery-orange to golden-yellow tubular flowers in generous clusters from late spring to midsummer. Unscented but extraordinarily showy; RHS Award of Garden Merit recipient. Deciduous and hardy to USDA zone 4, it performs best with sun on its canopy and cool shade at its roots.
Growth habit: Vigorous deciduous twining climber; stems twine around supports; benefits from training on wires or a sturdy trellis
What fertiliser tellmann's honeysuckle actually wants — and why
Tellmann's honeysuckle is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for tellmann's honeysuckle: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed tellmann's honeysuckle, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For tellmann's honeysuckle:
Apply a balanced granular fertiliser or well-rotted compost around the root zone in early spring. Follow with a high-potassium liquid feed every two weeks from late spring through midsummer. Avoid excessive nitrogen as it favours foliage growth over flowers. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when tellmann's honeysuckle is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for tellmann's honeysuckle
Half strength is the safe default for tellmann's honeysuckle — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water tellmann's honeysuckle first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the tellmann's honeysuckle watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding tellmann's honeysuckle
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for tellmann's honeysuckle:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding tellmann's honeysuckle
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full tellmann's honeysuckle care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of tellmann's honeysuckle with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for tellmann's honeysuckle
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising tellmann's honeysuckle — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does tellmann's honeysuckle need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Tellmann's honeysuckle is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed tellmann's honeysuckle?
Apply a balanced granular fertiliser or well-rotted compost around the root zone in early spring. Follow with a high-potassium liquid feed every two weeks from late spring through midsummer. Avoid excessive nitrogen as it favours foliage growth over flowers. Apply a balanced granular fertiliser or well-rotted compost around the root zone in early spring. Follow with a high-potassium liquid feed every two weeks from late spring through midsummer. Avoid excessive nitrogen as it favours foliage growth over flowers. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for tellmann's honeysuckle?
Half strength is the safe default for tellmann's honeysuckle — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding tellmann's honeysuckle look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding tellmann's honeysuckle year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of tellmann's honeysuckle?
Flush the pot of tellmann's honeysuckle with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Tellmann's honeysuckle care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water tellmann's honeysuckle — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise alsobia 'san miguel'
- How to fertilise gloxinia perennis
- How to fertilise gloxinia sylvatica
- All 6887 fertilising guides in the Growli library