Vines and Their Uses in Your Landscape
Vines may be used in the landscape for covering fences, walls and trellises. When looking through ads in magazines and catalogs, a wide variety of vines are offered. It’s important to choose those vines that are adapted and hardy in our area. Since a large share of the vine is located high above ground level, they are susceptible to winter elements.
Vines differ in their method of climbing. Some climb by curly tendrils which attach the vines to the support. Others climb by twining their leaves around a support. Still others form tiny suction-cup disks that cling to walls and supports.
Two basic types of vines can be grown in our area: Annual vines and perennial vines. Annual vines are planted every spring and enjoyed for a single summer’s growth. Perennial vines are planted in the spring with hopes that they will come up each year for many year’s enjoyment.
Let’s look at annual vines. Sweet peas are a fragrant addition to wire fences and trellises. They may be seeded directly outdoors in April in full sun. The hard seeds will germinate more quickly if soaked overnight in water. Morning glories are trumpet-shaped flowers that cover a fence and bloom during morning hours. Morning glories seed themselves and may come up each year from this seed. One caution: If they’re growing near a flower bed or garden, these seedling morning glories become a weedy nuisance.
How about perennial vines, those living for many years? American bittersweet is useful on a fence or trellis, and valuable for its bright red fruits. Virginia creeper is a hardy vine with leaves turning brilliant red in fall. Wild riverbank grape is useful on fences and can produce small fruits for jelly.
Clematis is perhaps our most popular vine, producing large, purple, white, red or pink flowers. They climb by twisting their leaf stalks around a support, and will cling well to chicken wire or a wire mesh trellis. When planting clematis, dig a deep hole and position the crown of the plant about two inches below soil surface. Clematis does best on cool soil. A summer mulch of straw or leaves will keep roots cool and moist. Over winters, a majority of the upper vines are killed. In spring, the clematis comes from the base or lower foot of the vine. The older dead vines may be cut back to within one foot of ground level, to allow new shoots to grow vigorously. A visit with your local greenhouse or nurseryman will help you to select the best vines for your location.
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