Left unpruned, most wall shrubs will grow rapidly skywards, leaving bare stems below and sparse flowers produced out of sight, but a little early attention can remedy this
Selecting a suitable climber
Choosing vigorous plants can be ideal for hiding unsightly features or obscuring unattractive views. Fallopia baldschuanica (Russian vine) and Clematis montana can disguise chain-link fencing, while Pyracantha (left) and Parthenocissus (Virginia creeper) enliven expanses of brick.
Pruning technique
The first step is to match the vigour of plants to the space available. An evergreen clematis such as C. cirrhosa will be better suited to a single fence panel than more vigorous C. armandii. Sensible selection will avoid frequent cutting back to contain an over-vigorous plant.
With most climbers and wall shrubs,early training to establish a basic framework of branches is essential. After planting select up to five strong shoots to tie in, cutting back sideshoots to 15-30cm.
Training
It is often easier to insert a cane for each shoot initially and to attach the canes to the larger support. If covering a surface, tie in stems at a wide angle. Growth brought down from the vertical will produce more flowers and fruit. Subsequently, shoots required for the framework can be tied in as they develop and other growth pruned out. If growth is sparse or over long, shorten stems to encourage branching.
In subsequent years cut back flowered shoots and remove dead or diseased wood, crossing and spindly growth. To encourage further flowering, cut back sideshoots to five or six buds. With established wall shrubs it may be necessary to undertake replacement pruning - removing some older growth and tying vigorous young shoots into the gap.
Many evergreen climbers require little pruning other than to contain growth to the space available by pruning in summer or immediately after flowering. The timing of pruning of other climbers generally follows the rules for pruning shrubs. Those which flower on the previous year’s wood before midsummer, such as jasmine, are pruned immediately after flowering. Those which flower after midsummer on the current season’s shoots, such as Solanum crispum (potato vine), are pruned in late winter or early spring.
Tony Dickerson
Training newly planted climbers and wall shrubs
Pruning overgrown climbers and wall shrubs