Growing Vines
There are a wide range of plants that can be used in almost every situation – from full sun to shade and from clay to sand. The key is to make sure the conditions you’re providing for the plant are those that support its growth. For example, there is little point in putting a clematis in deep shade and expecting it to live – never mind flower.
A Good Vine List
Here’s a summary of some of the more commonly available choices, pick and choose for your own garden needs and conditions.
Clematis are one of the most prized of climbing plants. There is an entire range of glorious colors and sizes of plants. They range from the climbing types to the shorter and more perennial the bush types
The bush types don’t really fit as climbers, acting more like perennials, but it seemed like a good idea to put the link here.
Q&A - My clematis won't bloom and I live in the north
Porcelain Berry is a fast growing option with gorgeous blue fall berries (staining) and is fast growing and will grow almost anywhere.
Trumpet Vine or Campsis radicans - is this a plant a friend or a foe? You be the judge.
Climbing Hydrangea is a rampant-growing, flowering plant for almost anywhere. It never met a tree it didn't like to climb and doesn't know how high is too high. Covers walls in single bounds (but it can be really slow to establish).
Silver Lace Vine is one of the fastest growing, and heaviest flowering but it should come with a warning. Here it is.
Growing Wisteria is straightforward if you know how to prune it. Here's how.
Virginia Creeper is an ivy for those who can't grow anything else in that space. Spectacular fall colours and a willingness to tackle any upright wall are its main attributes. Here's the details.
Q&A - I have Virginia Creeper Problems - it won't leaf out.
Honeysuckle climbers - some fragrant, some not - but all aphid traps.
Wisteria is gorgeous and the wisteria tree is equally challenging.
Boston Ivy is an excellent climber that never met a wall it didn't like to conquer. Simply maintain the tendrils and you'll have a good covering on your wall in no time at all.
English Ivy is another climber that never met a wall it didn't like. If you need help growing it or removing it - here's how.
Dutchmans pipe vine is a fast (very fast) growing climber that is excellent for quick screens (up to 20-30 feet a year) but it comes with one major drawback.
Annual Vines
Morning glory is an exciting annual climber that will grow up almost anything vertical. Here's how to grow it and why it might not have bloomed for you.
Black Eyed Susan Vine or Thunbergia. Easy to grow if you don't overwater it (or underwater it for that matter) here are the instructions for success.
Sweet Pea with its wonderful fragrance and easily grown. They'll grow up to the six-foot mark in a season blooming from mid-July onwards in USDA zone 4
Got a Problem Growing Vines
If you have a question about growing vines then feel free to ask it using this form.
If you have a picture of the problem or situation, feel free to upload it here as well (keep the pic under 100K please for faster uploading)
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See what other gardeners have asked
Click below to see what other gardeners have asked about growing vines
Pruning Trumpet Vines I'm just starting with gardening and some people tell me to cut my trumpet vines back to the ground in the fall and others say to just trim off any excess ...
Moonflower: Ginormus leaves...no blooms...what's up? Why does my moonflower vine have huge leaves on it's 10 foot plus length but not a single bloom? It's in full sun rampantly climbing my raise deck support ...
Bouganvilla dropping petals
I recently planted 2 plants and connected them to a trellis...every few days the ground is covered with petals.
Doug says that this isn't uncommon given ...
fast growing vines!
hello,
I have a unique situation in which i need to cover several large vertical nets (about 6 10'x6' sections) as best i can in 7 week's time (now ...
Hyacinth Bean Vine
What is the best way and time to plant hyacinth beans? I live in Zone 5.
Doug says indoors in mid-March at 2 beans per 4-inch pot. This is a slow growing ...
getting rid of virginia creeper
We have virginia creeper all over our yard. How can we kill it out? It is taking us over
Thank you
Doug says he has the same darn problem. He's ...
Silver Lace vine lifespan I have had silver lace vines in to different cities in southern Ontario. They grow really well and fast. But after 4-5 years they have died?? Is this normal?...
Maintaining honeysuckle groundcover.... Our backyard has two large terraced levels. The top level is approx. 10x80 ft and all planted in honeysuckle. Above it are huge oak trees whose leaves ...
trimming honeysuckle vines
my honeysuckle vine is overgrown. how and when do I prune it and how far down
Doug says - trim and prune when the vine is dormant. Before it really ...
Dutchman's Pipe vine wont grow I planted Dutchman's pipe vines to grow up my porch trellis, facing east and north. They get some sun, but not a lot. The plants have been in the ground ...
Fence cover for backyard with pool We have recently completed a backyard makeover with a pool. We need a privacy cover on one side where we have a 5 foot high chain link fence that would ...
Campsis 'Madame Galen' Flowers of campsis 'Madame Galen' (Campsis x tagliabuana). The flower bundles are significantly larger than those of campsis radicans. I cannot get enough ...
Creeping Gloxinia I bought a plant that has the name "lophospermum" and "erubescens". That is all the information I have. It is a vine with beautiful flowers. What is ...
losing silver lace vine
My two yr old silver lace started turning yellow and now seems to be dying, any ideas? i put some ironite around the base to no avail. zone 6, thx!
Doug ...
vines or climbers
Do any of the vines or climbers grow in the shade?
Doug says - yes. Check out the vine descriptions for individual growing characteristics.:-)
Kiwi Blossoms off Schedule I planted three females and two males 15 years ago and they are strong climbers and very healthy. I get lovely white and pink markings on the leaves but ...
Clematis not blooming One of my 4 clematis is not producing blooms. All have been fertilized with Miracle Grow approximately 3 times since April. I recall that the same plant ...
When to prune wistera I have a wistera that is about 6 years old. This was the first year it had flowers. I'm not sure when to prune it,so I'll continue to have more flowers ...
honeysuckle vine old fashioned my honeysuckle vine which I have had for many years is dying. The leaves wilt and then they turn brown. It bloomed fully in early spring. What could be ...
Will Virginia Creeper Kill Cedars &/or Maple tree? I have a swamp cedar hedge running along the back of my yard. Part of the hedge passes under a very large maple tree. The cedars under the maple have died ...
Kiwi Vine - Actinidia
How does one identify a male from a female? I planted 1 vine in 2007, not knowing both were required for fruit production.
Doug says, you ask the ...
Something's eating my honeysuckle vine We planted the vine in a container against a trellised wall in May 2007. It has grown and looked well until a couple of weeks ago we noticed it was looking ...
clematis I have ordered two clematis that I plan on planting in a pot to grow on my pergola. They arn't winter hardy, so they need to come in for the winter. My ...
