Best feed for clematis and Lonicera

I can suggest several. You can add a granular feed to the soil and rake it in; like grow more. or you can use a slow release version but wait until growth starts or you are just wasting fertilizer. When growth is in full swing you could use a foliar feed instead. Miracle grow is one that works well but there are others on the market.

The best fertilizer for me is the fish emulsion fertilizer. Don't use it full strength - just a cap full or a couple glugs to a gallon of water will do ya just fine.

I still swear by chicken manure pellets

Thank you, I should have mentioned that both shrubs are in containers. Can I assume that it is the liquid Miracle grow to which you refer?. I do have some Vitax, but find it easier to use liquid feed where possible. I keep hearing that Tomato feed is good, because it contains nutrients that others don't. Please be kind enough to confirm whether this is good to use or not.

Whilst writing, may I please also ask, is a sudden loss of virtually all the foliage on an old honeysuckle (container) a sign that the shrub roots may have dried out? This happened at the end of last summer

Thank you once more

Thank you also, to other members who have offered advice. .

Thank you also, to other members who have offered advice. .

liquid, miracle grow is fine, tomato food diluted to half strength that you'd use for toms is also fine.

The foliage drop does suggest lack of water yes. It may recover this spring and if it does then just remember to water regularly and heavily especially if it has been breezy or after even short dry spells.

You should see tiny dormant buds on your honeysuckle and the branches should be moist and pliable. If it is still green, then should be OK. It will become obvious as we advance towards Spring. Be careful with the fertilizer. Too much can burn the roots. Go with a very weak solution at first. You can always add more if need be.

have you done the bark scrape test? using your thumb nail on a piece of stem furthest away from the roots scrape the bark bark. If it is brown that part is dead, if green it is alive.
if you find it is brown move 6 inches back towards the root and repeat.
Even if all the top growth is dead you may get new growth from below the soil level.

Thank you. This shrub has always given me a problem , because after a lot of research I discovered why the buds were being plucked out before they had chance to open(not birds not mice), and the best explanation I found, was that a moth was responsible. It happens every single year, and although I have tried systemic insecticide, nothing prevents it from happening, so sadly, I never get the pleasure of the fragrant flowers. When it shed all its leaves last summer, I thought it might be dead, the shrub was old and I decided to prune it well back from the fence, intending to probably replace it. I now notice there are some buds,

That is brilliant news so glad it isn't dead.
There are lots of moths that lay eggs in developing flower buds and most are small non-descript brown jobs.

perhaps think of replacing the top 2" of topsoil in the container. The overwintering caterpillars/ pupae usually don't go far from the parent plant. There are also a range of sawfly that will do the same and their grubs lie camouflaged on the stems. They will also eat out the buds.

This last year my daughter has done a moth survey in our garden and we have identified over 200 species and at least 40+ micro moths that we haven't been able to id 100% as they need dissecting to be certain.

Maybe it's time to give your honeysuckle a new home. My honeysuckle never has any issues at all and it's evergreen. It's also planted in the ground - never had to spray it or anything it's on its own and it's been through all kinds of storms & severe weather including the blizzard we are having now as I type this. My point is that they are robust & vigorous plants - I never water it or feed it yet it blooms beautifully every year.

Those bugs typically only attack stressed plants. I think if you plant your honeysuckle in the garden in a nice sunny location or give it a bigger container with new potting soil, it will send up new shoots. If it's huge, you should divide it. Put a thick layer of mulch over the top of the new soil - stones, gravel or slate chips. This will conserve moisture and frustrate those little buggers.

Templeton doesn't have a garden so he cant plant it out.

its not usual for insects to lay eggs on stressed plants as that would mean less food for their growing larvae. Are you able to move the container to a different area of your property. You could try hanging those yellow sticky traps on the branches and see what insects you catch.
Honeysuckle is a food plant for a large number of insects fortunately/unfortunately.

we grow it specifically for the moths and many other insects.

I said larger container or divide it.

you did say plant in the garden or larger container but I remember from earlier conversations that Templeton does have a garden. It wasn't a contradiction as such just an observation.

Thank you all very much. :-))

No, sadly I do not have a garden, but a roof patio. The tub is in a nice sunny location and the shrub did well when it was first planted out many years ago, but the disappearance of buds has now become so disappointing, and last summer there were virtually none left to open, the little tubes just get plucked completely out of their sockets, rather being nibbled!!
I do scrape back the top layer of soil in the Spring, and add new compost, but really as suggested, it could do with a new tub and fresh soil, so I will hope to transplant, as has been suggested..

I hadn't thought of the yellow sticky tabs, might try this :-)