Vigna caracalla (Corkscrew Vine)

I have a second year plant, I'm REALLY looking foward to a good show of blooms this year. I heard that it flowers the best the second year.

I brought it into the house for overwinter. I kept it in it's pot and I did not cut it down. It lost all it's leaves some time over the span of winter.

It has a long ugly bare vine with just a few leaves it's starting to put out. Do I cut this down to the ground? I'd like to see bushier, healthier new growth.

Maybe I know the answer... my snail vine didn't look so hot after over wintering last year, I thought I lost it. So I cut it down severely and it was gorgeous and full last summer.

I'm afraid that if I cut it down, it won't come back up for some reason.

Yep! You answered your own question! Many people are afraid to prune, but your pruning shears can be your best friend. They always result in better growth and bushiness. It's like giving your friend a second lease on life by dumping all of last year's "baggage", as it were.... It ain't the shoots that matter, anyway, it's the roots that the shoots will grow to catch up with, after all. Prune, prune, prune! I know most people say to trim down to a third of what was, but sometimes I've done more and it always catches up and surpasses what was ;-D

Thanks Liila! I love your name by the way.

Mine has been planted in the ground for a few years & it looses all its leaves and the tips freeze a bit, but I do not prune off anything except the dead ends. It is sprouting leaves now & it will fill itself out soon.

Capt. Did you nick your seeds before you planted them? Do they need to be soaked first in the peroxide solution? I just got my seeds from Seed Savers and don't have a clue what to do now, other than put them in dirt.

I really didn't do anything out of the ordinary with them besides soaking. I usually soak large seed for about three days.

I buried them so the tips were exposed to air in a sterile medium, I then placed the pot into a freezer bag to provide the humidity. I put them in a sunny window and that was all there was to it!

Capt, you wrote that you also have a snailvine. I got seeds for those by mistake, thinking they were the corkscrew. Is there any saving grace of the snailvines? Or should I just chuck them?

Jeanette

I did start one btw, The vine is nice. Jeanette

Snail vine is also an unusual vine. It's more reliable than the corkscrew and hardier and I had flowers open about every other day. It's quite a desirable vine also.

Ok, guess I'll keep it then. Sure wish it was a corkscrew. Do you recommend that I cut the vine off so it will bush? It has a couple of lengths about 20 inches. Jeanette

I would recommend it.

I am so confused about the "Snail" and "Corkscrew" vines. I received a baby "Corkscrew" vine from an exchange here at DG, and it is doing well. I also had bid on and won some seeds on Ebay for "Snail Vine", but she says it is Vigna Caracalla, which is "Corkscrew" vine.... *big sigh*. I don't reckon I will know which it is until the seeds sprout and they grown.. Is there any way of telling from the seed?
Thanks for any advice and help, etc....
Blessings,
Carolyn

yes, someone posted a thread including seed pic but I dont remember where it is !

I got mine off of ebay also but I think she said it was snail vine. If one of you who has both vines growing would post a picture it might help. Jeanette

My corkscrew is a baby still, but here is a photo of it.

Here's some of my corkscrew babies too. I don't have any snail babies, I received mine in a trade as a plant.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/46263/