TIIP OF THE WEEK
Tame those lovely legs

Many vines make excellent houseplants, but in an effort to reach sunlight, vines can become leggy, producing shoots with widely spaced leaves.

Although this activity is common with such vines as English ivy (Hedera helix) and Boston ivy (Partnenocissus trieuspidata), the long tendrils can be unsightly and in the way.

Here are two ways commonly used to control this problem:

1. The pinch-back method: As trailers, tendrils, or shoots grow beyond a desirable length, simply pinch, snap, or cut the vine just below a node (the point where the leaf joins the stem).

The cut piece can then be placed in water, in a sunny window, until rooted, then transplanted into a new pot to create a whole new plant.

2. The pin-down or lay-down method: Before removing any shoots, separate them carefully. Choose three to six healthy, leaf-covered, bendable shoots. Remove all others and root, using the above method. Then returning to the original plant, select a shoot that is rooted near the center of the pot. Using floral pins or hairpins, lay the vine onto the soil surface as closely to the center as possible.

Pin the vine to the soil at the leaf node. Spiral around the pot, pinning down every other leaf or so until you the reach the end of the shoot.

All leaves should face up. Remove any leaves that are trapped, leaf top down, under the vine as they may rot.

Continue this process until all shoots have been pinned down or until no space remains in the pot. The vine will root to the soil at each leaf node.

Using either or a combination of these methods will help you to tame those beautiful legs and to create a neater, fuller, more appealing houseplant.

Amy Moser, Smith Country Master Gardener