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Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

What technique should be used to terminate secondary vines? Some of my secondaries are getting just about as long as I can let them get. So, I am going to need to stop some of them soon.

Do you just snip 'em and bury? Pinch? What tools do you use, if any?

6/25/2005 1:33:12 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

Any sharp instrument makes for a cleaner cut than pinching
in my opinion. I always have to anchor the severed secondary because they always want to grow upwards. I use coat hangers bent into "u" shape to hold them down, and then cover with soil. Best of luck, Duff

6/25/2005 7:45:52 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I lopped one clean off with a shovel tonight.

6/25/2005 10:05:38 PM

Western NY

i pinch them off in the growing bud. as small as you can get in there. they will extend out a bit after you pinch them, so it's a trial and error until you get the technique down if you are worried about a certain length. the reason i do this is that it creates a very small wound (as opposed to chopping it where the vine has already reached the diameter of your thumb or more), the wound seals over nicely (and quicker) instead of an open conduit for bugs, and the coolest thing of all is that the leaves at the end of the termination get HUGE.

6/25/2005 11:12:29 PM