Rejuvenating Solanum Crispum

We've got a Solanum Crispum, about 8 years old, trunk 3 to 4 inches diameter at base. It's got a bit out of control and has grown up into a neighbour's tree and is always trying to grow outwards rather than stick close to the wall where it belongs. Hubby has cut off most of the branches growing outwards but there's not much sign of new growth from lower down so it looks rather bare.

Any suggestions for what can we do to encourage it to produce growth from lower down which we can train along the wall before they get too woody?

 

Never grown it myself. When you say trunk is it more like a caudex (ie; rather swollen at ground level)?

 

If the pruning has been done in recent weeks then it's unlikely you will see any new growth before spring. Solanum's rarely need any encouragement to grow but keep an eye on it as the weather warms up.

 

No, just 2 normal looking thick brown stems emerging from amongst the ivy, winter jasmine and general garden detritus in photo. (Memo to self: must get out and do a bit of tidying when the wind and rain permit.)

@Sheal ok, I'll keep a close watch on it. You are suggesting that it can take heavy pruning with ease? I'm just worried that a) it might have a 1.5 metre high bare lower part permanently, b) it might go sulky and die since its predecessor, a Californian lilac, did just that after being pruned

 

I did find this earlier whilst looking for something else................

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/prune-blue-potato-vine-39167.html

 

@longk, thanks for that. It looks as though we should hold back with more pruning for this year since we've taken about a third off already. We'll try to reduce the height in subsequent years as well as cutting back the side shoots to stop,it growing outwards.

 

Out of interest Hsuh can we see a picture of the full plant please.

I had one of these up until about five years ago but I got fed up with it taking over the garden so dug it out eventually. I must admit I used to hack it back, but it still fought back!

 

I had to look up S. Crispum, and had a laugh as the writer's plant didn't want to stay by the wall either. Have a look: http://www.paghat.com/bluepotatovine.html


Using Tapatalk.

 

Mine was in a pot in my previous (large!) garden. I planted it last year in our (much smaller) garden. After reading this thread and its habits, I'm thinking it may have to come out now - or be relegated back to pot status

 

@Sheal Here's a photo from a couple of years ago taken from an upstairs window. The solanum crispum is the large purplish mass across the back of the photo. To get an idea of scale, the nasturtium on the left is climbing up an arch which is about 7ft high.

 

Thanks Hsuh. They are attractive shrubs but need to be kept tamed. Although the flowers are perfumed I don't like the smell of the foliage, it reminds me of Pelargoniums which has a similar smell. I find it quite harsh, so a good reason for not growing those either.