How to Landscape With Desert Vines

Walk throughout your landscape to find a structure to support your desert vines. You can use fences, trellises or walls. In addition, hanging planters can make a hospitable home for vines.

Identify how much light each area of the yard receives. Every plant thrives in a particular amount of sun, such as partial sun, full sun and shade. Partial sun is characterized as receiving 4 to 6 hours, or morning sun. Full sun is 6 to 8 hours or afternoon sun, and shade is filtered sun or under shade.

Choose vines that love the heat and coolness of the desert. There are three different categories of vines that you can choose: woody vines, perennials and annuals. Woody vines such as trumpet creepers are slow growers, yet can withstand both hot and cold temperatures without going dormant. Annuals such as cypress vines will bloom and grow until the first frost, when they die off. Perennials like clematis will go dormant in the winter and bloom in the spring.

Dig a hole in the planting site that is as deep as the vine is planted in the planter and twice the size of the diameter of the root system. Place the vine inside the hole, and pack soil around the base. Water the plant so that the soil is moist but not saturated. Spread 3 inches of mulch over the hole to lock in moisture.

Tie one of the vines to one side of the support structure with a soft material like nylon. Avoid tying the vine too tight or it will impede growth. Place another vine on the opposite side and tie. The third vine should be placed in the middle and tied; all three should resemble a three-pronged fork.