How to Trim a Bower Vine

A strategically placed bower vine (Pandorea jasminoides) adds texture, color and privacy to a garden. It also draws the eye up, providing a sense of height to the small space. Bower vines are fast growers, able to cover a structure within two growing seasons. They grow to 20 feet in length, and bloom in white or pink flowers, depending on the variety. Because it's such an aggressive grower, trimming the bower vine is an annual chore for gardeners who want to keep it growing to the trellis, arbor or other support structure.

Pruning shears

Instructions

- 1
  Trim the newly planted bower vine to provide the framework for the blooming season. Choose two to four of the strongest stems and cut off all the others. Loosely tie the remaining vines, in a fan shape, to the support structure. Experts at the University of Florida IFAS Extension suggest cutting the single-stemmed bower vine back 2 to 3 inches to encourage it to produce new stems.
- 2
  Prune the bower vine after flowering to remove dead and nonflowering stems. Trim those that have flowered to within three buds of a main stem. Cut the lateral stems to keep the vine growing to the support structure.
- 3
  Rejuvenate the mature bower vine by cutting back main stems as far as needed, but never remove more than one-third of the entire plant.

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