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Advice needed for training climbers

zenpmdzenpmd Posts: 28
in Plants

I'm new to gardening and enjoying reading and learning everything I can, but there is some practical things I am struggling to get a clear view of.

I have just bought a trachelospernum jasminoides and a chilean potato vine. I understand that neither self cling like ivy so they need help. They are against a hot south facing brick wall. How exactly do I train them up it?

I like the idea of something permanent, like this

https://www.s3i.co.uk/

But do they need attaching to it?

Thanks so much!

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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,165

    I can't see your link, but any climber which isn't self clinging needs a support. Trellis is ideal, which you would attach to your wall with screws. Plant your climbers about a foot or eighteen inches away from the wall, and lean a couple of canes against the trellis (from the plant) for the climber to reach it. Unravel any stems which are tied into the cane it probably came with, and tie them gently to the lowest bits of the trellis with soft string, fanning them out as well as you can. They 'll gradually spread out as well as up. Just tie them in as they grow. Make sure they have adequate space to fill out without getting too entangled with each other. 

    If you don't want to use trellis, you can use vine eyes screwed into the wall with sturdy wire attached. Place them at regular intervals (about a foot to eighteen inches) horizontally on the face of the wall, and then use the same method of attaching. image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,313

    I've got several star jasmines and used to have a potato vine.
    As Fg says above they need to be tied-in initially but they will both curl their stems around whatever they're attached to, so it's just a matter of keeping them going in the right direction.
    After a few years they seem to get the hang of it and they scramble away quite happily.

    I do find with Trach.J (star jasmine) that  if they get dry at the roots it often encourages an attack of scale insects - little brown lumps on leaves/stems and a black sooty mould on the leaves. There are sprays that work, but prevention always better than a cure.

    The site you mention seems to offer all you'd need.
    I use stout posts and straining wire with tightening bolts. If you have concrete fence posts, there are brackets you can buy with eyes that attach to the concrete post. If that's your plan let me know and I'll try and find them.

    Last edited: 10 June 2017 09:50:46

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,165
    Pete8 says:

    I've got several star jasmines and used to have a potato vine.
    As Fg says above they need to be tied-in initially but they will both curl their stems around whatever they're attached to, so it's just a matter of keeping them going in the right direction.
    After a few years they seem to get the hang of it and they scramble away quite happily.

    See original post

     Ah - didn't realise they would climb by themselves later Pete. They're not hardy here so I've never grown them  image

    I don't think the solanums are either, except in sheltered parts.  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,313

    My potato vine grew so fast in the end I took it out, and I've had the TJ's for 15+years.
    They're quite hardy here is Essex and grow very quickly. Mine are just about to burst into flower

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,165

    I think the Essex climate is ever so slightly different to mine Pete image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • zenpmdzenpmd Posts: 28

    Thanks everyone. If I use a wire, will growth be restricted essentially to just the wire area? If I want both to actually cover the wall will it need something more like a trellis?

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,313

    You can run wires horizontally, then get some thin plastic coated wire and just weave it vertically between the wires every 12-18". That's what I done for my roses many years ago

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • zenpmdzenpmd Posts: 28

    Thanks Pete. The other thing I want to achieve is increasingly the overall high of my screening on the wall. The wall is about 5ft. I want to go up to about 8ft. My plan was therefore to use some posts attached to the wall and then run something like this across the posts. Do you think that would work?

    https://www.meshdirect.co.uk/green-plastic-plant-climbing-mesh.html

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,313

    I think that mesh is too weak. No way will it be able to support the weight of your climber above the height of your wall.
    Realistically, if you're growing TJ and Solanum, once they reach the top of the wall they will naturally build-up another 2-3ft without any help (but would probably be a tangled mess). The risk is if you're in a windy position, a strong gust could bring the whole lot down.

    If you can securely fix some strong posts to your wall as you suggest, then use wire and straining bolts, or attach some trellis

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • zenpmdzenpmd Posts: 28

    Thanks Pete. We are lucky that we have basically bought a house for life and arent planning on moving. As such I am trying to do everything as permanently as possible. I guessed oak would be better than metal because it doesnt corrode, but each oak trellis is about 200 quid!!! I know its not touching the ground and therefore hardwood might be over the top but this just seems crazy expensive!

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