Vines and Landscaping

Types

• There are three different types of vines based on how they climb: twining, clinging or tendrils. Twining vines wind their stems around a support. Clinging vines attach themselves to a surface with either aerial rootlets or tendrils that have adhesive tips. Tendril vines, which are leafless, wrap around any support they contact.

Cultural Requirements

• Vines grown in containers may be planted year-round while bare-rooted vines should be planted in the spring before new growth begins. Most vines grow easily and prefer well-drained soil. Fertilized established vines, with poor growth, in the spring with a 5-10-5 fertilizer.

Common Varieties

• There's nearly an infinite list of vines, but they fall into one of three categories: woody, annual or perennial. Wisteria sinesnsis -- Chinese wisteria --is a woody vine that is commonly grown in home gardens largely for its fragrant, violet-blue flowers. Chinese wisteria grows to about 25 feet. Ipomoea alba Moonflower is an annual vine with wide, heart-shaped leaves and white flowers than open at night. Vinifera grapes are perennial vines grown for their large leaves and fruit.

Support

• Give careful consideration to the type of materials used to construct a support for your vines. When choosing metals, select one that will not rust, such as copper or aluminum, advises the University of Missouri Extension. The most durable woods for vine structure support include cedar, redwood and cypress. The best supports for twining and tendril-type vines are trellises, arbors and wires. Because of their tendency to severely damage wood, clinging vines are best grown on brick or masonry walls.