On Mon, 12 Jan 2004, Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:

Bob Flowerdew says he now advocates growing vines in big containers
and keeping them inside in summer and outside in winter. Yes that
way round. I forget the reasoning but have heard him say it more than
once on GQT. It is probably in one of his books somewhere.

The reasoning is that for most people, a vine can grow too big. My
response to this thinking is that knowing how to prune a vine should
take care of that aspect.

The fact is that vines grow like weeds. It's not unknown for the canes
on a mature vine to grow twenty feet in a season! They need pruning
every few weeks in the growing season otherwise you will end up with a
mass of tangled canes and foliage.

BUT...... don't try to prune mature wood in the growing season. Cut back
only green shoots. This is the time of year for pruning mature wood and
for taking cuttings. Vines are the easiest plants I know of for
reproduction by cuttings.

Which reminds me.........

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