Training a Vine Over an Arbor
One of the best ways to display a flowering vine is to train it up over an arbor. Blossoms, and their delightful scents, are brought up to eye level where you can appreciate them more. Arbors covered with flowers also bring a vertical element to your garden, adding height and dimension.
Be sure to match the vine to the arbor. Small arbors are usually best suited for vines that grow to 8 feet or less, such as sweet peas and some clematis and roses. If the vines grow any larger, the arbor can become overwhelmed. Use a large arbor to accommodate more invasive vines, such as certain honeysuckle or wisteria, which over a few years can reach 40 feet or more.
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Step 1
As a rule, prune vines that bloom on the current season’s growth in early spring, just before they begin to sprout. Wait until after flowering to prune vines that bloom on the previous year’s growth — so you won’t ruin the beauty. If a vine is overly aggressive, such as wisteria, prune it in early summer, which tends to slow its growth.
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Step 2
If your vine is newly planted, cut it back by half or more. That’s what it takes to get it off to a good start, encouraging it to put down strong roots before its stems take off.
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Step 3
Once your vine is established, pruning should be minimal, other than to cut out dead, damaged or out-of-bound stems. Start a pruning project by first cutting out any dead wood and trimming broken stems. Within reason, also cut out diseased portions. If the vine is too thick, you may want to thin out branches, cutting them back to a main stem or removing a particularly old stem completely. Finally, cut back a vine to control its growth. Rather than just shearing it selectively, cut each stem back to a point close to the arbor.
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Skill Scale
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Varies
- Time Required
- Varies
Shopping List:-
tools
Hand pruning shears
Loppers
Pruning saw for very large, woody vines
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