Dutchman Pipe Vine

Question

My Dutchman pipe vine that I planted in early March never bloomed this year. Granted it had an auspicious beginning to the growing season with the caterpillars. There was enough time though in the season for the plant to fully recover and fill two trellises 6 feet tall. Essentially, all I have is a 6 x 4.5 foot healthy full green vine but not a one bloom.

The plant is located on the east side of a fence and gets about 8 to 10 hours of sunlight during the summer months. A few questions:

1. Do I need to trim it back for the winter or just leave it?

2. Should I protect the roots with a pile of mulch on top?

3. What suggestions do you have for it to bloom next year?

4. When should I fertilize it?

Answer 1

1. You do not need to prune the plant back unless you just want to – in fact, keeping it as is will give it added protection over winter. If you do decide to prune your plant, this article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/dutchmans-pipe/dutchmans-pipe-pruning.htm

2. You can add mulch around the plant’s base (leaves are good) to help insulate the roots.

3. As for the blooming, it sounds like the soil has an abundance of nitrogen, which results in lots of healthy green growth and little to no blooms. Wait until spring and then give it some high phosphorus fertilizer, or bone meal, to offset the higher nitrogen and encourage blooming.

4. These plants are normally fertilized once a year in spring. Here is more information on its care: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/dutchmans-pipe/growing-dutchmans-pipe-vine.htm