Hi Chiggerhaven- Welcome to Garden Junk! I'm pretty sure soaking the vines in warm water for awhile will help you out, at least I know that works with grapevines. Be sure to post pics of your finished vine balls. I've done wreaths and swags, but balls sound really cool. Kathy

Soaking them will help. I've made stuff with grape, Virginia creeper and morning glory vines (pain in the b-tt,never again!) but have never tried wisteria vines. Be sure to take photos and post them!

The only one I've ever used is Wisteria and I can tell you that you need to use them green and right after you cut them as they dry out pretty fast. Use gloves because the bud nodules can bite you while you work. I would suggest using small runners to make the balls too...the larger they are, the easier they break when bending. Good luck!

Everyone, Thank you, for taking time to reply. Maybe I waited too long to do this. The sap is going down!! And to use the smaller vines.

Willow is best used in late winter, early spring.

Sharon

Wood bending is done using boiling water or steaming.

To make a really round vine/twig/branch ball, try this:

1. Make a wooden trough big enough and long enough to soak your vines.
2. Soak your vines overnight.
3. Soak your vines in boiling water.
4. Bend you vines around a round cylinder. Find a way to keep the vines bent.
5. After the vines are dried, it will retain the shape.
6. Remove the vines from the cylinder and cut to make your ball.

You donÂt need the heating part if you use green vines.

dcarch