Can I Grow Gold Flame Honeysuckle Vine From Seed?

Collecting Seeds

• Collect berries as soon as they develop a deep red color. You'll need to keep an eye on ripening berries so you can collect them before they are eaten by birds. Mash berries in a large bowl of water to separate the pulp from the seeds. Viable seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl -- pulp and bad seeds will float. You can store them until you need them in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator.

Preparation

• Many seeds, including honeysuckle, require a period of dormancy prior to germination. To replicate dormancy, gardeners use a technique called "stratification." Place your seeds in a sealed container of moist peat or sand at a temperature of 40 degrees F for between 60 and 90 days to replicate the dormancy period and get them ready to germinate.

Planting

• After you've stratified them you can plant your seeds outdoors. Ensure all danger of frost has passed and plant them in a well drained and sunny location. If you are growing your goldflame honeysuckle on a trellis, plant seeds at least 6 inches from the trellis. Be prepared to wait awhile for germination. Some species of honeysuckle can take up to 60 days to germinate. You can also start your honeysuckle indoors and transplant them outdoors once they've sprouted.

Other Methods

• There are easier ways to propagate goldflame honeysuckle. If you already have one in your yard you can use a technique called layering. Bend a 1-year-old stem down to the ground and stake it with a "U" shaped stake. Cover the staked portion with soil, leaving the branch tip above ground. When the tip begins to grow, supply support in the form of a stake or trellis. At the end of the summer you cut the rooted stem from its parent plant and transplant it during the next spring if you want. Goldflame honeysuckle can also be propagated from cuttings. Cut just above the joint of a young leaf stem and then trim off all but the first pair of leaves on the stem. Dip the bottom in rooting hormone and place it in a pot of well drained potting soil. Cover with a plastic bag to retain moisture and keep the cutting warm until it has rooted. When the weather warms up you can transplant it outdoors.