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david_h_murphy

Cut Back Vines?

10 years ago

Hi...hope I'm in the correct section to ask this question. We just recently moved into our house, and on the back fence there are vines (I think?) that have long, high, branches coming out of them. Should these branches get cut back each year, and if so, when is the proper time to do it and how far back should they be cut back?

My main concern is that the old branches will prevent new greenery from coming.

Any guidance or recommendations is most appreciated, I'm a total novice when it comes to this stuff! Thanks!


Comments (14)

  • 10 years ago

    I can't tell what the type of vine is from the photo, but the tufts of long vines at the top are from previous pruning that probably wasn't appropriate to the plant. Leaving the current branches won't prevent the plant from leafing out. I would let them leaf out this season without pruning and then take a closeup photo of the leaves and branches to post along with this photo on the Name that Plant forum. Then you can ask here about what appropriate pruning would be.

    You also want to give some location information. If you add it to your profile, it will post automatically.

    Go to Your Houzz in the upper right of every page, click Edit Profile, and on the left side click advanced settings. Well down the advanced settings page is a blank labeled Climate Zone for Garden Forums along with a link to find your zone.

    If you add info on your state or the nearest large city you will get even better information since zone only relates to average coldest winter temperatures. Then return to the top of the page and click Done Editing.

    david_h_murphy thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
  • 10 years ago

    Thanks for the response. Once it starts to leaf I will take closeup photos to help identify exactly what it is. I'm happy to hear that in its current state it should still leaf out.

    I'm in zone 6, Cleveland Ohio.

    Once I identify what it is I'll be back for pruning advice.

    Thanks again

  • 10 years ago

    If you post a close up of the branches and buds we can probably id it for you either here or over on Name That Plant.

    david_h_murphy thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
  • 10 years ago

    I'll add, whether you do or don't prune it, it will leaf out about the same. In my situation of Virginia creeper vigorously growing up and over hogwire fencing, I do occasionally clip a few long runners back, mostly because they're reaching and growing up into adjacent trees, and it makes absolutely no difference to that vigorous plant. I doubt yours will have any problem, albeit I don't know what vine you've got there.

    david_h_murphy thanked wisconsitom
  • 10 years ago

    It looks suspiciously like the growth habit of trumpet vine, Campsis radicans. Which can produce its own set of challenges :-)

    Regardless of the specific type of vine, pretty much ANY deciduous vine (those that lose all foliage in winter) can be hard pruned without concern.

    david_h_murphy thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    Agree-it does look rather Campsis-ish! I still like those things but yeah, they can become monsters. One thing about trumpet vine-it may be aggressive but depending on where you are, it can also be a native plant. Doesn't mean you want it coming up in your kitchen behind the refrigerator! But at least its aggressiveness is as a member of the N. American flora............depending on where this is, of course.

    david_h_murphy thanked wisconsitom
  • 10 years ago

    As floral said, many plants can be ID'd by dedicated plant nerds even without leaves, so feel free to take photos and post now.

    david_h_murphy thanked NHBabs z4b-5a NH
  • 10 years ago

    I'll snap some closer pics tonight and post them. Thanks everyone for your assistance, much appreciated!

  • 10 years ago

    I took the photos to the Name That Plant forum, but figured I'd post here as well:

  • 10 years ago

    I found this on the realtor site...not a closeup, but shows it with leaves, and I believe some flowers on the right side. I circled the part that is this plant / vine

  • 10 years ago

    Name the plant forum thought it was Campsis Radicans too, so I think we have a consensus there.

    So, anything I should do now maintenance wise? Would it be wise to cut back all of the trumpets (?), some of them...don't cut them at all? Cut them back all the way to the base? Did the pruning need to happen in fall? I'm ok with them being large, just don't want them going out of control.

    Thanks again for everyone's help.

  • 10 years ago

    I guess my overall question would be what is the standard annual maintenance?

  • 10 years ago

    When I grew this particular plant, I cut back all those long leafless stems back to where they originated along the top of the fenceline. As well as anything smaller than a pencil diameter emerging anywhere else. IME, this particular vine benefits by a hard annual pruning each season simply to keep it under moderate control - this is a BIG, rapaciously growing vine!! And keep an eye on shoots emerging from the root systems, sometimes at a considerable distance from the mother plant. This seems to be the primary headache with this vine - once established, it pops up everywhere and is difficult to control.

    it may be a native but it is definitely a thug!!

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