How to Prune Specific Vines

Vines are a beautiful part of our gardens. Whether they follow a trellis or grow along a fence, they need to be trained and pruned to grow where we want them to grow. Most vines need little pruning for a season or two as they grow into their new home. But most perennial vines will eventually require trimming to help them keep their shape and size under control. Here's some tips on how and when to prune some popular types of perennial vines.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• hand pruners
• long-handled pruners (loppers)
• small saw
• gloves

1. 
   American Bittersweet

   Late winter or early spring is the time to cut back this vine to keep it in bounds, although trimming in the fall creates some beautiful cuttings for arrangements. Trim stems as needed to keep the vines the size and shape you desire. Overgrown vines require yearly pruning to keep them under control.

2. 
   Wisteria

   When your wisteria has reached the desired height, thin three times a year to promote flowering. Prune first in winter when the vine is dormant. Locate the second bud from the tip on new growth and trim half the shoots on the plant back to this point. In spring, remove all the young, leafless branches. Cut side branches, leaving two or three buds and allowing all nubby spurs to remain. Follow up with summer pruning to reduce by one-half the size of side branches.

3. 
   Clematis

   Pruning varies according to bloom time. Clematis that bloom in spring should be pruned, if needed, right after blooming. Those that bloom in early summer, or those that bloom year around, should be pruned in early spring when new growth is apparent, back to perhaps 6-8 inches and a pair of well formed leaf buds. Clematis that bloom in the fall should be pruned in early spring to about one foot in height.

4. 
   Climbing Hydrangea

   Trim these vines ONLY as needed to keep them growing in the area you want and to keep their aerial rootlets off of wood structures. Make cuts after flowering.

5. 
   Hardy Kiwi

   Regular pruning is needed only to maintain size. If you must prune, trim stems back immediately after flowering to avoid cutting off next year's blooms.

6. 
   Honeysuckle

   Prune these vines only if they have outgrown their allotted space. You can cut them anytime except right before a freeze, but the best time to prune honeysuckle is right after it finishes flowering.

7. 
   Trumpet Vine

   Prune as needed in late winter or early spring to control this vine's vigorous size and reduce it's weight. Cut back side shoots to develop a strong main framework of woody stems. Leave stubs with three or four buds when cutting off shoots.

8. 
   Ivy

   Let these vines grow. Cut them back as needed to keep them off of wood structures. If you must control their size, cut back the growing ends of the stems in early winter. Repeat if necessary at the beginning or summer. Avoid cutting these vines at the base; if you do, you'll end up with hard-to-remove dead stems clinging to the wall.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your time while pruning. Try to keep in mind "the big picture" as to the size and shape you want your vine to be.

[akendall]

on 1/20/2009 I buy salt at the Food Supermarket and I put it around fences where I want to keep the vines off of Water heaters and walkways. Salt is the number one ingredient in weed killer and it keeps the vines from growing in that area for around 1 year. I resorted to this after I had lost two gold rings cutting back the vines for annual fire inspections.