How to grow vines and climbers

Pot-Grown Woody Plants:

Pot-grown plants with leafy new growth need a gradual introduction to direct sun and wind before planting. Set plants outdoors in a sheltered, lightly shaded spot, increasing their exposure to sun and wind each day. After 7–10 days, they’ll be ready to go in the ground.

Before planting, check the potting mix in the pot and water thoroughly if it’s dry. Dig a hole slightly larger than the pot. For pot-grown woody plants that are to be planted in unimproved soil, dig a hole 3–5 times the diameter of the root ball but no deeper than the height of the root ball. Remove the plant from the pot by grasping the rim, turning the pot upside down, and tapping it against the heel of your hand. If the plant is root-bound (the root ball matted with roots to the point that they obscure the potting mix), gently break up the sides of the ball with your thumbs and tease apart roots that are circling at the bottom. This encourages roots to grow into the surrounding soil. Set the root ball in the hole so that the top of the ball is level with the surface of the soil. Then push soil around and just over the top of the root ball and firm the soil by pressing down with both hands. Make a rim of soil around the edge of the planting hole to form a basin, which will hold water and channel it to the oots. Finally, fill the basin with water several times.

 

Bareroot Vine:

Unwrap the vine just before you’re ready to plant. Soak the roots for a few hours. The roots of many woody plants are brittle, so take care not to break them. Dig a hole wide enough to accommodate the spread of the roots and deep enough to allow you to set the crown—the point where the leaves or stems of the plant meets the roots—1in below the surface of the soil. (Some plants require deeper planting, other shallower planting—see the White Flower Farm plant label.) Place the roots in the planting hole and arrange them in whatever fashion appears natural. Holding the crown of the plant, push soil into the hole, working soil around the roots. After planting, make a rim of soil around the edge of the planting hole to form a basin that will catch water and channel it to the roots.