Virginia Creeper Maintenance

vln1502

I dug a small VC last fall and put it into a grow box. Seems to be doing fine, but I'm not sure of the general care maintenance.
I've read full sun, but some here have mentioned placing the pot in a tray of water during the hottest part of the year. Does that mean directly into the water so that the roots are partially submerged, or is it more of a humidity tray?
Do I let the runners go to bulk up the base, as on another deciduous plant?
Or only allow one runner?
The base definitely needs to bulk up, so would I be better with the plant in the ground? How do I manage the runners in that case?
What type of soil is recommended?

Thanks for any input. Vic

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zephyrous

As i am a bit of a novice, this information isn't definitive, but this is my experience with VC. I am surrounded by this vine and I constantly am looking for older plants with nice bases to dig up and use. So far i have a good number showing promise. Because of the abundance in the area, i have decided to experiment and see what they like best.
They love sun, they will grow much better in the sun, and I have noticed that if they don't get enough sun, it can cause unhealthy leaf development. in a sunny spot it should grow like a weed.
I do not use trays with water, but do water as often as twice a day if needed. In my experience they seem quite thirsty, so I'm sure they could be submerged partially with no problem. I have found that I get better growth, and the plant seems happier, if I use a soil mix with more organic material than usual bonsai soils.
Also they seem to respond to a good amount of fertilizing, I use fert pellets and cakes, as well as low dosage feedings every 2 weeks for best results. I practically see new growth after every feeding.
As for pruning, I generally pinch off the extreme tip of a growing branch when its reached a length I like, if not branches will just grow longer and longer not fatter and fatter. once the branch is cut it begins to thicken and back bud. Also they defoliate amazingly well. I have one torture victim i have defoliated 3 times already this year. Now, i don't know if this will adversely affect its health next season, but for now its happy and healthy as ever. Each time i defoliate, it buds out within the week and it condenses the foliage and shrinks the leaves nicely each time. it seems like due to its viney nature, it needs constant defoliation and shortening of new growth to shape it up.
It will require more vigilance than other plants as it grows so rampantly, but its nothing simple trimming cant combat. It truly is a joy to see such a dynamic plant, almost literally putting on new growth as you watch it! Once it adjusts to transplanting, it should take off and its quite hardy.

Again, take this with a grain of salt as I am no expert, but this is what I have found experimenting with a good number of the many I have dug up.
good luck, hope I helped.

vln1502

Thanks, Zeph

I have seen what you mean about the new growth on these! I thought I would have a sacrifice vine to thicken up the trunk. I stripped all the leaves and tendrils from a vine, hoping that a long vine might thicken up the trunk. It put out a ton of new leaves within days. Any ideas on how to get a bigger base? Is it like a deciduous tree that thickens up at the base with a lot of sacrifice branches? Vic

greerhw

Don't let that sucker get loose in your yard.

Harry

__________________
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

vln1502

Invasive, is it?

greerhw

They don't call it creeper for nothing

Harry

__________________
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

VirginiaCreeper

Virginia Creeper is a North American native for walls, fences, etc that need cover-up. It is one of the few plants that will not damage bricks. It also makes a great bonsai and is readily available from local garden and plant nurseries. There is also a variegated version of this plant called Star Showers.

Virginia Creeper has colorful red/burgundy foliage and berries during the fall. It is more ordinary in appearance during the summer and its flowers are not too showy. The foliage of this woody vine can be rather variable in appearance; some vines produce rather broad leaflets with blunt tips, while others produce more slender leaflets with long tips.

You often see this plant growing up tall old trees and also at many college campuses. It gives the appearance of age "old world" to many buildings. I remember at Rutgers University in NJ, many students used to take cuttings and grow these as houseplants. I understand in some parts of the U.S. it can be invasive, but in the northeast it is native. I would recommend this plant to anyone that enjoys fall color.

Virginia Creeper has a few different varieties available today. One variety seen often is called Engelmannii, it has smaller leaves and has a better climbing habit that the species growing wild. I have read this variety is named after someone named George Engelmann. George Engelmann was an American botanist who passed away back in 1884.

Virginia Creeper is often confused with eastern Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). There is a clear distinction between the two species; Poison Ivy has three leaflets and Virginia Creeper has five leaflets. Info on the internet sometimes suggests that Virginia Creeper is not poisonous, but the sap of the Virginia Creeper contains oxalate crystals and can cause skin irritation and rashes in small percent of people.

The berries of the Virginia Creeper are eaten by many wild animals such as mice, skunks, chipmunks, squirrels, turtles etc. I have read that cattle and deer will eat the leaves and stems of this plant. The vines themselves provide birds with shelter, perches, nesting places, and food.

Also, check out this link about Virginia Creeper...

http://www.themondaygarden.org/arch...fingered_w.html

vln1502

O.K. but what does the plant want to grow fat? Leave all the vines? Prune? Vic

Attila

Here is mine, from an old thread. I also talk about it in that thread, so you can see what I said. It's a shohin, with a fairly heavy trunk and nebari. The only thing I need to do, is to defoliate before showing it, so that the leaves become much smaller.

http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/attachm...hmentid=424 56

Basically, you let it grow freely in the ground for about 5 years, cutting it back twice during the growing season.