Train a vine wreath - Special Issue: Spring-Summer 1994 Garden Guide

Sunset, Spring-Summer, 1994 by Emely Lincowski

Bougainvillea or jasmine can fill out a wire frame in a season

One way to show off a small flowering vine is as a festive, living wreath. Some nurseries sell vine wreaths, but you can train your own. Buy a young, supple-stemmed plant of about 6-inch-pot size; plant it in a pot at least 8 to 12 inches in diameter, and then train it to grow around a wire coat hanger frame.

Untwist the hanger's handle and shape the hanger to form a U-shaped trellis; bring the ends nearly together and slip them into the soil near the stem. Wrap and tie the shoots loosely up the two sides, as shown in the drawing at right.

Water regularly and feed once in the spring with a complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10 according to package directions. A young plant can thrive in a pot this size for three years or so. After that, give it room to ramble.