Originally Posted by aberdeen

David, thanks I think you may be right. The vines don't seem to be spread out in any logical formation. Just hanging heavily from thick woody stems diect from the main trunk.

I would think that the only way to stop the lower branches collapsing would be to cut back to the wood, then I would be afraid that would damage it.

The other vines heading up will soon be hanging into our neighbours garden. We will really need to cut them back, and again not sure how much to take off??