Creeping spindle, climbing spindle – care, cutting and multiplying

The creeper can be cultivated in very different locations. However, the location also depends on the variety used. Climbing spindles that form colorful foliage thrive particularly well in sunny areas of the garden. Such varieties can tolerate partial shade as much as possible; a very dark location means that the shrub loses its variegated foliage and turns green. Varieties that develop green foliage, on the other hand, also thrive in partial shade or in the shade. The choice of a suitable location also depends on the gardener’s individual preferences and requirements. The crawling spindle can be used as a small hedge or border in a solitary position. Other woody plants, grasses and perennials are particularly suitable as ideal combination partners. Here the plant can mainly be used as underplanting of trees. The climbing spindle is particularly decorative in connection with petunias, carnations and phlox. In addition, the crawling spindle is ideally suited as a ground cover. Then a bed in the shade is an ideal location. Last but not least, the plant is also used to justify walls or walls, as the plant crawls up the walls. It is also worth using on fences. As a climbing plant, the climbing spindle is particularly decorative on trees, obelisks and pergolas. The chosen location should be well drained overall, as persistent moisture can lead to fungal infections. Nevertheless, a substrate that is fresh to slightly moist is preferable. The substrate used should also have the following properties:

• high permeability
• rich in nutrients
• loose, light consistency

Almost all cultivated soils are suitable for the cultivation of the climbing spindle. Sandy-humic garden soil is particularly suitable. If there is predominantly heavy and compacted soil in the green area, appropriate preparation should be carried out before planting. Particularly important in this context is the targeted loosening, which can be done, for example, with the help of sand or compost or potting soil. Additional mulching has also proven its worth, for example with garden chaff, bark mulch or coarse compost.

Optimal care

In general, the climbing spindle requires little maintenance. Evenly moist soil is of particular importance. Watering should be done very carefully. Overall, the plant should only be watered when it is dry. After irrigation you have to wait until the top layer of soil is well dry before giving the next water. If the plant is in a rather shady location, a dry period is generally well tolerated. In sunny locations, however, particular care should be taken to ensure that the plant does not dry out. Regular mulching also protects against drought.

In principle, the plant does not need to be fertilized. The addition of compost has only proven its worth if the climbing spindle is cultivated on particularly poor soil. Spring is the best time to do this. Gardeners who are cultivating a climbing spindle for the first time often equate the rather slow growth of the plant with a lack of nutrients and also give them fertilizer. However, this measure is by no means justified, since even very slow plant growth is not the result of undersupply.

The wintering of the crawler spindle turns out to be problem-free. The evergreen plant is frost hardy up to temperatures of -25 °. Additional winter protection is usually not required; however, if some varieties are sensitive to severe frost, consider moving to protected areas in the garden.

Section of the crawler

The crawler spindle can be cut from time to time. Different methods can be used here:

• Thin out
• slight shape cut
• radical cut back

The climbing spindle is best cut during the growing season. The months between spring and summer are particularly suitable. When thinning out, older shoots are cut out just above the ground. Dead branches are also cut out. Branches that are too close, cross over each other or otherwise disturbing are also cut off. Particularly when the crawler spindle is used to border a bed or a gate, a shape cut that can also be made outside of the main cutting time is suitable. The gardener’s individual preferences play a role here. In this way, both angular and round shapes can be created when cutting shapes.

In addition to the simple thinning and the shape cut, the crawler spindle can also tolerate a radical cut back. This can be necessary, for example, if the plant has spread too quickly and has assumed proliferating properties.

Plant creeper correctly

The climbing spindle can be planted both in autumn and in spring. However, the months in spring are often best. In particularly rough locations, it is best to cultivate it in a somewhat sheltered location in order to protect the young plants from low temperatures during the winter months. Before the young plants can be used, particularly heavy soils should be loosened and, if necessary, prepared with sand to increase permeability. Then the individual specimens are planted, paying particular attention to the correct spacing of the plants from one another. As a rule of thumb, the distance should be about half as large as the planned height, which varies depending on the variety and can be up to 100cm. A distance of 30cm is ideal in most cases. Four to six plants need to be planted for complete ground cover, which need about two years of growth to spread. After planting, the crop is carefully mulched.

Propagation possibilities

There are basically three different options available for increasing the climbing spindle:

• Propagation via seeds
• Use of cuttings
• Use of lowerers

The sowing of the seeds turns out to be quite tedious. It can take several years for the shrub to develop colorful flowers and fruits for the first time. Sowing is preferably carried out in autumn or spring, as the plants are cold germs. After being planted in the ground, these require particularly low temperatures in order to germinate.
The crawling spindle reproduces particularly well using cuttings. Woody parts of the plant are particularly suitable for this purpose. The cuttings are cut from semi-ripe wood. These are branches that are just beginning to lignify. The pruning of these branches should be very straight. The cuttings ideally have a diameter of one to two centimeters and are between ten and 15 centimeters long. Before the branch can be planted in the substrate, the lower leaves must be removed. Now the potting soil can be prepared. A mixture of peat and sand is best for growing cuttings. The cutting is then inserted vertically into this soil. Covered with a foil, the substrate cannot dry out. The formation of fine roots can then take several weeks. However, this process can be sped up somewhat; To do this, the lower section of the cutting is dipped in a special rooting powder. This substance contains certain hormones that encourage the roots to sprout. After the roots have developed, the young plant can be repotted in a substrate that offers even greater permeability. The crawler spindle should be moved to a warm and bright location for the first time. When the plant has developed optimally, the final location can be chosen, which should be sunny to shady depending on the species. To do this, the lower section of the cutting is dipped in a special rooting powder. This substance contains certain hormones that encourage the roots to sprout. After the roots have developed, the young plant can be repotted in a substrate that offers even greater permeability. The crawler spindle should be moved to a warm and bright location for the first time. When the plant has developed optimally, the final location can be chosen, which should be sunny to shady depending on the species. To do this, the lower section of the cutting is dipped in a special rooting powder. This substance contains certain hormones that encourage the roots to sprout. After the roots have developed, the young plant can be repotted in a substrate that offers even greater permeability. The crawler spindle should be moved to a warm and bright location for the first time. When the plant has developed optimally, the final location can be chosen, which should be sunny to shady depending on the species. The crawler spindle should be moved to a warm and bright location for the first time. When the plant has developed optimally, the final location can be chosen, which should be sunny to shady depending on the species. The crawler spindle should be moved to a warm and bright location for the first time. When the plant has developed optimally, the final location can be chosen, which should be sunny to shady depending on the species.

As an alternative to propagation via cuttings, it is also possible to try to reproduce the plant using sinkers. For this purpose, a shoot is first bent down. The bending point is fixed in a pit in the ground, with the tip of the shoot being vertical. It has proven useful to also score the bend with a sharp knife to encourage rooting. After covering with soil, the sinker takes root at the injury site and can later be separated from the mother plant.

Fight diseases

The crawling spindle is not very susceptible to pests. However, unfavorable soil conditions or location errors can contribute to the fact that fungal diseases spread more and more on the plant. Persistent drought or too humid locations increase the risk for the plant. Depending on the fungal disease, the infestation can manifest itself in different symptoms:

• pustular spore beds
• Leaf spots and coverings
• Signs of putrefaction
• Individual parts of the plant die off

As a preventive measure against fungal diseases, it is important to carefully choose the location for the crawler, which must not be too damp. If the first symptoms appear, a change of location is indicated. The targeted processing of the soil has also proven to be helpful in this context. In order to protect the climbing spindle from infestation, a generous distance should also be maintained between the individual specimens. If the location and soil conditions in the green area are particularly unfavorable and you have already had experience with fungal infestation, it is advisable to choose particularly resistant varieties in advance. In addition, the plants can also be supplied with special plant strengtheners. For this purpose, rock flour and herbal extracts – for example an extract from horsetail – are used. A few rules should also be observed when watering: It is best to water the plants early in the morning; this allows the liquid to dry off better afterwards. It is also a good practice to pour the water directly into the root area. Many mushrooms spread particularly well when the leaves and flowers are moist. If the plant is only slightly infested, individual parts of the plant can be separated. However, the infected parts of the plant must not be disposed of on the compost. this allows the liquid to dry off better afterwards. It is also a good practice to pour the water directly into the root area. Many mushrooms spread particularly well when the leaves and flowers are moist. If the plant is only slightly infested, individual parts of the plant can be separated. However, the infected parts of the plant must not be disposed of on the compost. this allows the liquid to dry off better afterwards. It is also a good practice to pour the water directly into the root area. Many mushrooms spread particularly well when the leaves and flowers are moist. If the plant is only slightly infested, individual parts of the plant can be separated. However, the infected parts of the plant must not be disposed of on the compost.

Conclusion
Hobby gardeners who can only spend a little time cultivating their plants will get their money’s worth with the climbing spindle; the easy-care plants that decorate walls, fences and house walls require little attention. Once planted in an ideal location and watered evenly when it is dry, plant lovers can enjoy the climbing plants for a long time.