Hi all,

We have a virginia creeper on a north facing wall. It's been there for
three years. It's been doing well and has spread nicely. But this year
it is steadfastly remaining as a collection of twigs clinging tightly
to the brickwork. I'd been hoping rather optimistically that maybe it
was just a bit late. But with June in sight I think it's time to face
up to reality. However, when I cut into any of the stems they are
green and sappy, not brown and dead. Is there any hope or should I
just replace it? I don't like the bare-wall look and if it has to
replaced I'd rather get its replacement started earlier than later. If
I put another one in its place is it likely to suffer the same fate?
Incidentally it is growing out of largish pot on the patio, coult that
be it's problem?

Cheers!

Martin

Martin Pentreath wrote:
Hi all,

We have a virginia creeper on a north facing wall. It's been there for
three years. It's been doing well and has spread nicely. But this year
it is steadfastly remaining as a collection of twigs clinging tightly
to the brickwork. I'd been hoping rather optimistically that maybe it
was just a bit late. But with June in sight I think it's time to face
up to reality. However, when I cut into any of the stems they are
green and sappy, not brown and dead. Is there any hope or should I
just replace it? I don't like the bare-wall look and if it has to
replaced I'd rather get its replacement started earlier than later. If
I put another one in its place is it likely to suffer the same fate?
Incidentally it is growing out of largish pot on the patio, coult that
be it's problem?

Cheers!

Martin

If the stems are green and sappy, it's still alive. I think Virginia
creepers are getting going a bit later this year, so give it another month.

I've never heard of anyone growing a Vc in a tub, no matter how large the
tub is. It's such a vigorous plant, which spreads far and wide, I'm
surprised it doesn't dry out in summer.

--
Jeff

Martin Pentreath wrote:
Hi all,

We have a virginia creeper on a north facing wall. It's been there for
three years. It's been doing well and has spread nicely. But this year
it is steadfastly remaining as a collection of twigs clinging tightly
to the brickwork. I'd been hoping rather optimistically that maybe it
was just a bit late. But with June in sight I think it's time to face
up to reality. However, when I cut into any of the stems they are
green and sappy, not brown and dead. Is there any hope or should I
just replace it? I don't like the bare-wall look and if it has to
replaced I'd rather get its replacement started earlier than later. If
I put another one in its place is it likely to suffer the same fate?
Incidentally it is growing out of largish pot on the patio, coult that
be it's problem?

Cheers!

Martin

I'd say a pot it inadequate for a virginia creeper. Prone to drying out
in hot weather and for freezing the roots in Winter. My virginia
creepers have been growing for a couple of months now - engulfing the
house as usual. Unless I cut some down soon again the front door will be
lost!

--
David in Normandy.

David in Normandy wrote:
Martin Pentreath wrote:
Hi all,

We have a virginia creeper on a north facing wall. It's been there
for three years. It's been doing well and has spread nicely. But
this year it is steadfastly remaining as a collection of twigs
clinging tightly to the brickwork. I'd been hoping rather
optimistically that maybe it was just a bit late. But with June in
sight I think it's time to face up to reality. However, when I cut
into any of the stems they are green and sappy, not brown and dead.
Is there any hope or should I just replace it? I don't like the
bare-wall look and if it has to replaced I'd rather get its
replacement started earlier than later. If I put another one in its
place is it likely to suffer the same fate? Incidentally it is
growing out of largish pot on the patio, coult that be it's problem?

Cheers!

Martin

I'd say a pot it inadequate for a virginia creeper. Prone to drying
out in hot weather and for freezing the roots in Winter. My virginia
creepers have been growing for a couple of months now - engulfing the
house as usual. Unless I cut some down soon again the front door will
be lost!

I have two in 15" tubs. Year 3 now. A little slow to get going this year,
but romping away now. Watered daily in hot weather, and heavily mulched.
--
Pete C
London UK

On 11 May, 18:01, David in Normandy
wrote:
Martin Pentreath wrote:
Hi all,

We have a virginia creeper on a north facing wall. It's been there for
three years. It's been doing well and has spread nicely. But this year
it is steadfastly remaining as a collection of twigs clinging tightly
to the brickwork. I'd been hoping rather optimistically that maybe it
was just a bit late. But with June in sight I think it's time to face
up to reality. However, when I cut into any of the stems they are
green and sappy, not brown and dead. Is there any hope or should I
just replace it? I don't like the bare-wall look and if it has to
replaced I'd rather get its replacement started earlier than later. If
I put another one in its place is it likely to suffer the same fate?
Incidentally it is growing out of largish pot on the patio, coult that
be it's problem?

Cheers!

Martin

I'd say a pot it inadequate for a virginia creeper. Prone to drying out
in hot weather and for freezing the roots in Winter. My virginia
creepers have been growing for a couple of months now - engulfing the
house as usual. Unless I cut some down soon again the front door will be
lost!

--
David in Normandy.

Thanks David and Jeff for the replies. OK, I will reprieve it for a
few more weeks and put up with looking at bare brickwork. I wonder if
Miracle Grow/bonemeal/horse manure could coax it into leaf. Point
taken about the pot. But it never has had a problem with drying out.
It's probably the wrong plant for the wrong purpose in fact, because
it only needs to cover a wall about 8 feet high, and span around 12
feet wide. So not that much foliage, and it seemed perfectly happy at
close of business last year. It gets watered generously by an
automatic watering system.

If it shows no outward signs of life shortly I might try moving it
into a bed, although it will not be in the optimum location then for
its purpose.

Cheers!

Martin

Pete C wrote:

I have two in 15" tubs. Year 3 now. A little slow to get going this year,
but romping away now. Watered daily in hot weather, and heavily mulched.

We have several growing around the house. I don't know how old they are
as they came with the house. Sometimes I think it is the other way round
- inside the virginia creeper there is a house :-) the trunks are around
2 inches wide where they go into the ground. I've no idea how big the
root balls are. I guess they maybe OK in a pot if kept small; it depends
how big you let them grow. If ours were pot based, the size they are I'd
imagine the pots would need watering every ten minutes in the Summer!

--
David in Normandy.

it is steadfastly remaining as a collection of twigs clinging tightly
to the brickwork.

Ours is going mad. South facing wall though.

green and sappy, not brown and dead.

Sounds like it's alive!

Incidentally it is growing out of largish pot on the patio, coult that
be it's problem?

Ours is growing out of a small wooden trough. It's kept well fed and
watered and does very well. Too well. I had to remove a load of growth that
had run through the guttering.

Al.

wrote:

it only needs to cover a wall about 8 feet high, and span around 12
feet wide. So not that much foliage, and it seemed perfectly happy at
close of business last year.

I really like Virginia Creepers, but there really aren't any
suitable walls on my present house. How well might one do on a
trellis, obelisk or other structure?

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Chris J Dixon writes
wrote:

it only needs to cover a wall about 8 feet high, and span around 12
feet wide. So not that much foliage, and it seemed perfectly happy at
close of business last year.

I really like Virginia Creepers, but there really aren't any
suitable walls on my present house. How well might one do on a
trellis, obelisk or other structure?

I think it would overwhelm it in a few years. They are capable of
putting out a large number of shoots of 20ft or so in a season.

--
Kay

"K" wrote in message
...
Chris J Dixon writes
wrote:

it only needs to cover a wall about 8 feet high, and span around 12
feet wide. So not that much foliage, and it seemed perfectly happy at
close of business last year.

I really like Virginia Creepers, but there really aren't any
suitable walls on my present house. How well might one do on a
trellis, obelisk or other structure?

I think it would overwhelm it in a few years. They are capable of putting
out a large number of shoots of 20ft or so in a season.

--
Kay

Try Parthenocissus henryana its a lovely plant all season and looks
especially in shady places.
Just trim off or weave in unwanted shoots

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

I have a parthenocissus henryana 2 years old and until recently doing very well, covering 20 ft of my fence. Alas after tue/wednesday's light frosts all the leaves have become limp and lifeless with odd new shoots still showing. It grows very well in the shaded part of my garden facing north and kept moist all year round.Have i got a maliscious neighbour or even a fox with a grudge as they they tend to relieve themselves in my garden occasionally? Please help me save my pride and joy.

I'd go with the simplest option and assume that the tender new growth got frosted.