I have just bought a clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle and a wisteria and I am about to plant them to grow up our fence. Do I have to have a trellis? It seems a bit expense and wonder if there is anything cheaper that will suffice, such as a type of netting or something? I have no experience at all of gardening and thought this might be a good place to get advice.

Thanks in anticipation

Julie

Julie Thomas wrote:
I have just bought a clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle and a wisteria
and I am about to plant them to grow up our fence. Do I have to have
a trellis? It seems a bit expense and wonder if there is anything
cheaper that will suffice, such as a type of netting or something? I
have no experience at all of gardening and thought this might be a
good place to get advice.

Thanks in anticipation

Julie

You are likely to pull down your fence depending on how well it is built.
Have a look at mature versions of the climbers that you are growing and then
picture how your fence will hold the weight when they are that big.
Consider the consequences if this is a boundary fence, what will your
neighbour think? Netting (or string) will do to train the young plants but
it will not hold the weight of mature plants.

It is good to plan these things and cost them out before you buy the plants.
Buying first and then wondering what to do with them can be a waste of
money.

David

"David Hare-Scott" writes:

Julie Thomas wrote:
I have just bought a clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle and a wisteria
and I am about to plant them to grow up our fence. Do I have to have
a trellis? It seems a bit expense and wonder if there is anything
cheaper that will suffice, such as a type of netting or something? I
have no experience at all of gardening and thought this might be a
good place to get advice.

Thanks in anticipation

Julie

You are likely to pull down your fence depending on how well it is
built. Have a look at mature versions of the climbers that you are
growing and then picture how your fence will hold the weight when they
are that big. Consider the consequences if this is a boundary fence,
what will your neighbour think? Netting (or string) will do to train
the young plants but it will not hold the weight of mature plants.

It is good to plan these things and cost them out before you buy the
plants. Buying first and then wondering what to do with them can be a
waste of money.

I've never grown Jasmine, but the wisteria is definitely a fence
crusher.

That seems like a lot of vines.

The clematis could easily take 5 feet of horizontal area.
Honeysuckles are bigger, maybe 10 feet.


--
Dan Espen

On 6/17/12 8:41 AM, Julie Thomas wrote:
I have just bought a clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle and a wisteria and I
am about to plant them to grow up our fence. Do I have to have a
trellis? It seems a bit expense and wonder if there is anything cheaper
that will suffice, such as a type of netting or something? I have no
experience at all of gardening and thought this might be a good place to
get advice.

Thanks in anticipation

Julie

I don't know about clematis.

Honeysuckle or true jasmine might be okay on a very sturdy fence. If
the fence is open-work -- not planks or otherwise solid -- it should
provide sufficient support by itself. It is merely necessary for the
vines to twine themselves through the fence. If the fence is solid,
securely fasten a length of 2"x2" (5cmx5cm) horizontally near the top;
hang poultry mesh (chicken wire) from that, using heavy wire staples
(the kind you drive with a hammer, not from an office stapler). Train
the vines to grow on the mesh.

Wisteria requires a very well-engineered support. It will destroy your
fence. Even a trellis would likely not be sufficiently strong. I know
of wisteria vines that were planted about 11 years ago. The main growth
is now about 3" (7.6cm) in diameter, with side shoots over 1" (2.5cm) in
diameter.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

David E. Ross wrote:
....
I don't know about clematis.

we have several different types and
some are much more aggressive than others
so it really helps to know what you are
buying for these so you can provide
adequate space/trellis support. we have
one which is a late summer white bloomer
with many small flowers. it easily tops
the 8ft trellis. deer will eat it in
the winter if they get hungry enough so
that can trim it back, but it will regrow
each season.

....


songbird

Dan Espen wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" writes:

Julie Thomas wrote:
I have just bought a clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle and a wisteria
and I am about to plant them to grow up our fence. Do I have to
have a trellis? It seems a bit expense and wonder if there is
anything cheaper that will suffice, such as a type of netting or
something? I have no experience at all of gardening and thought
this might be a good place to get advice.

Thanks in anticipation

Julie

You are likely to pull down your fence depending on how well it is
built. Have a look at mature versions of the climbers that you are
growing and then picture how your fence will hold the weight when
they are that big. Consider the consequences if this is a boundary
fence, what will your neighbour think? Netting (or string) will do
to train the young plants but it will not hold the weight of mature
plants.

It is good to plan these things and cost them out before you buy the
plants. Buying first and then wondering what to do with them can be a
waste of money.

I've never grown Jasmine, but the wisteria is definitely a fence
crusher.


There are many vines called jasmine. The two I am familiar with common
jasmine (jasmium officianale) and start jasmine (trachelospermum
jasminoides) are both in the fence wrecker category in suitable conditions.

D