help with vines! (grown, fertilizer, spring, city)

[adventuregurl]

I just moved and am having the exterior of my house painted. The problem is that there are these vines which I really like, that grow up the lattice, and I'm wondering if we were to cut them back to paint the lattice, if they'll come back as strongly in the spring (I'm in the N. AZ at 3300' so we get some winter) or will I be waiting forever for them to get this thick again.

I really like them and would hate to lose them but don't want to compromise the paint job.

You can see the picture here: //www.city-data.com/forum/flags...ly-spring.html

PS the painter is coming tomorrow.

[Bulldogdad]

Paint and forget.

They will be fine.

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by Bulldogdad

Paint and forget.

They will be fine.

do you mean cut them back to paint, or unweave them and paint and try to hook them back up again?

thanks!

[azoria]

Why would you want to save that mess of oogly tangle for any reason?

Cut it back, pull it out, and paint.

Chances are it will sprout up up again whether you want it or not.

[adventuregurl]

I hate to cut down anything green in the desert....it looks better in real life than the pic.

[Padgett2]

Wait until colder weather. There is a chance that the vines will die back and you won't feel so bad about cutting back the stuff. Paint, and then next spring enjoy the new growth.

Look around, and see if any of your neighbor have the same thing. maybe they could tell you about the growth habits.

[Bulldogdad]

Forget waiting until colder weather, cutem and paint. Juice them with a lot of extra fertilizer in Feb for the spring growth.

[no kudzu]

If you want something attractive then cut them to the ground, paint your lattice and find something much more attractive in the spring.

[adventuregurl]

It never dawned on me that they were unattractive, everyone who's seen them has liked them.

Any suggestions as to what would be attractive there?

[J&Em]

They may be very attractive in real life, especially if you live in an arid spot. From the picture it looks sparse, and a bit bedraggled, but then some of us are spoiled with more lush growth. I can't even tell what the vine actually is.

I think everyone feels if you cut it down, then amend the soil and fertilize the area around the roots, that maybe the vines will come back thicker and healthier looking. If cutting it down kills it then maybe this is an opportunity to improve the soil and plant something that can look a little more full to grow up the lattice.

Fair or not, this is what many people think of when they think of trellises and arbors with greenery: