Honeysuckle Transplants

Timing

• Transplant honeysuckle in the spring or after the plants become dormant in the fall, recommends the University of Illinois Extension. If you opt to plant in the fall, add a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch over the roots to help protect against cold temperatures, giving the plant more time to recover from transplant and establish roots before winter. The mulch also offers some degree of winter protection.

Planting

• When you dig your plants to move them, also remove a sufficient amount of dirt to form a root ball. When you transplant the vines, create a hole two to three times the width, but only as deep as the root ball, suggests the University of Florida IFAS Extension. Water-in your plants, but take care not to leave the roots standing in water, as they may develop rot.

Pruning

• Honeysuckle withstands severe pruning, according to the University of Missouri Extension. You can trim the vines back to 6 to 8 inches tall to transplant. You may also prune to reduce the height of the vines, to shape the plants and to reduce tangling. Prune your honeysuckle vines after their period of bloom passes. According to the University of Florida IFAS Extension, by pruning your vines after they bloom, you will not lose any of the showy and fragrant flowers, and you won't damage buds forming for flowers to come in the following year.

Support

• Provide a support system if you transplant a climbing form of honeysuckle. Invasive types such as Hall's Japanese honeysuckle will climb nearby trees and fences without a proper support system. The weight of the vines can pull down fences, and the vines can girdle trees and choke out other plants. Non-invasive types such as purpleleaf honeysuckle and trumpet honeysuckle -- also known as coral honeysuckle -- also need support, as they can reach 25 feet high.

Fertilizing

• Avoid giving your transplanted honeysuckle vines a dose of fertilizer unless they show signs of a deficiency. The plants usually thrive without additional nutrients, and by feeding them, you may cause the vines to develop lush foliage at the cost of flowers or additional growth that will necessitate more pruning.