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Tips for getting Boston ivy to climb?

16 years ago

We have a couple of new Boston ivies that we want to climb up a stucco wall. The plants have started to take off and the vines are getting long, but I haven't been able to get them to attach to the wall. I've never noticed any sort of supports being used when I see them in other (new) landscapes. Any tips for getting this climbing process started? I'd prefer not to use a trellis or anything that would be very visible.

Featured Answer

patsyann

16 years ago

There is a type of putty-like stuff (garden centers) which holds the vines on smoother surfaces.

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Comments (7)

julia
16 years ago
Self-attaching vines take time to catch on to the climbing thing. If you can't outwait them, here is an extreme gardening solution. Buy a product called Wayward Vine. These are small ceramic discs with clips attached. The bad news is that you glue them to the wall. However, after the vine grows, they will be inconspicuous/invisible. The cement and the clip device can be removed from brick or stone with a wire brush. I have not tried it on stucco, but Boston Ivy is going to mess up the stucco anyway. Use the clips to press several long shoots against the wall. Then, wet the wall occassionally with a garden hose. The combination of sticking the vine to the wall + keeping the wall moist will trigger the vine to produce the holdfasts that cause the climbing part.

I have used this technique successfully several times with reluctant self-adhering climbers. It is a pain, but it works. I have always opined that the problem was either that the vine was a naturally weak climber like Hedera colchica or that the wall was incorrectly situated to encourage attachment. By this I mean a south facing wall that heats up or a wall that was in the opposite direction from the direction of the sun. Vines always grow toward the sun and some will not volunteer to climb a hot wall.

Here is a link that might be useful: One source for Wayward Vine
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Hi there. Boston Ivy is a type of climbing vine that uses tiny suction cups to adhere to smooth surfaces such as concrete or brick walls. It is not a twining plant that will naturally twine through chainlink fence wire. You would have much better luck with vine-type honeysuckles or small-flowered clematis (Clematis viticella varieties). The honeysuckle vines are twiners and the clematis climb by tendrils. These would have the added benefit of flowers and, in the case of the honeysuckle vines, fragrance.
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Try this. In my profession I have had many people say the same thing, but only due to the technique used to get the vines to climb. If you started with a containerized vine that was a "staked" plant (or not), take it off the stake and: dig a trench at the very base of the wall or around the fence post deep enough to ONLY bury the stem of the plant and allow the leaves to remain above ground. Wrap it around the post or line the base of the wall this way. Cover the stem with a shallow layer of soil leaving the foliage sticking up. The next time that growth occurs, the shoots will come from the bases (nodes) of the leaves along the stems that you have buried. We may be talking about a season or two here, but it will work. This applies to English ivy, Virginia creeper, Boston ivy and others. They won't tend to attach (WELL) when left on the stakes. If they are allowed to grow UP by themselves from their nodes they will cover rapidly and climb rampantly. Just MY experience... hortster
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ottercreek
16 years ago
Can any one suggest a climber that is safe for use on stucco. We applied a stucco treatment to our home's addition. I have read that some ivy is not recommended and will cause damage. Is there anything that is ok to have climbing on stucco house walls? thanks
nucci60
16 years ago
boston ivy gets huge and the base can become trunk like after a few years. then it is hard to iradicate.
julia
16 years ago
There is no self-clinging vine that can be grown on stucco and subsequently removed without superficial and unsightly damage to the surface. At some point in the future, you will need to remove rootlets with a wire brush and /or a sander. Then,and, at the least, repaint. If you plant a heavy vine, you may have even greater problems.

So, be sure you are going to love it and live with it. Otherwise, install a trellis at a safe distance from the house and select a twining vine.
pro v game
last year
I have same problem
Marco Martins
last year
Do they climb glass? in trying to cover one with one and althought it has gronw already 80/90cm it is not climbing the glass 🤔

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