When planted in the right spot and properly trained, vines can do more to add interest and enjoyment than any other plant group. A year ago master gardener Paul James planted four four-inch pots of Boston ivy along a brick wall to soften and minimize the intense reflective light of the sun bouncing off the wall. They grew quickly and now the vines almost cover the wall (figure A). Now they need some coaxing to get them to cover the bare portion of the wall. James gently pulls at some of the new growth to free the little tendrils that have attached themselves to the brick and repositions them to grow horizontally along the wall. He prunes the vine where he doesn't want them to grow, such as onto the window frame and onto wood surfaces. He repeats the pruning process on a regular basis throughout the growing season.
The potential problem you encounter when you allow vines to grow onto wooden surfaces is that vines allow insects to travel from the ground to the wood. If the vines were not there, most insects wouldn't attempt to crawl up the hot, exposed brick or stucco. Vines create a sheltered bridge for all kinds of critters, including termites. Some vines can also damage painted wood surfaces, which is another reason to keep them pruned.
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