When choosing a support for a climbing plant it is important to take into consideration the method by which it climbs.
Some climbers such as ivy can be grown on a bare brick wall, but most will need a trellis to support them as they grow.
Climbers hold on to their supports in a number of ways.
Some are self clinging and can cover a vertical surface without the need for any support at all.
Ivies and climbing hydrangeas, for example, produce modified roots on their stems that attach themselves to rough surfaces, while other climbers, such as Virginia creeper, produce tiny suckers that will stick to any surface, including glass.
Many self clinging climbers need a support or another plant to climb up but will hold on by themselves.
Clematis, for example, has twining leaf stalks, and passion flowers and sweet peas produce tendrils.
A few plants, such as aecia, honey suckle and wisteria, have twining stems that coil snake like around their supports.
There are also climbers, including climbing and rambler roses that are not self clinging and need to be tied in to their supports.
Without supporting wires or a trellis, a wall shrub will grow out in all direction.
Drill pilot holes into the wall and insert vine eyes to support the wires.
If you use vine eyes with a screw fixing, insert a plastic or wooden plug in the wall first.
Vine eyes are available in several lengths, the long ones being necessary for vigorous climbers, such as wisteria, that need wires further from the wall.
The simplest vine eyes are wedge shaped.
Hammer them directly into the masonry and then feed the wire through a hole.
Although wedge shaped eyes are suitable for brick and stone walls, the screw type are better for wooden fences and posts.
Thread galvanized wire through the hole in the vine eye and wrap it around itself to form a firm fixing.
Thread the other end through the intermediate eyes, set at no more than 6 feet intervals and preferably closer, and fasten the wire around the end eye, keeping it as taut as possible.
Spread out the main stems and attach them to the wires, using either plastic ties or string.
Tie at several points, if necessary, so that the stems lie flat against the wall and do not flap about in the wind.
When all of the stems are tied in to the wires they should form a regular fan shape.
Tying the stems in, rather than allowing the climber to grow up the wall naturally, covers the wall better and encourages the plant to produce flowering buds all along the top edge of the stems.
Some climbers such as ivy can be grown on a bare brick wall, but most will need a trellis to support them as they grow.
Climbers hold on to their supports in a number of ways.
Some are self clinging and can cover a vertical surface without the need for any support at all.
Ivies and climbing hydrangeas, for example, produce modified roots on their stems that attach themselves to rough surfaces, while other climbers, such as Virginia creeper, produce tiny suckers that will stick to any surface, including glass.
Many self clinging climbers need a support or another plant to climb up but will hold on by themselves.
Clematis, for example, has twining leaf stalks, and passion flowers and sweet peas produce tendrils.
A few plants, such as aecia, honey suckle and wisteria, have twining stems that coil snake like around their supports.
There are also climbers, including climbing and rambler roses that are not self clinging and need to be tied in to their supports.
Without supporting wires or a trellis, a wall shrub will grow out in all direction.
Drill pilot holes into the wall and insert vine eyes to support the wires.
If you use vine eyes with a screw fixing, insert a plastic or wooden plug in the wall first.
Vine eyes are available in several lengths, the long ones being necessary for vigorous climbers, such as wisteria, that need wires further from the wall.
The simplest vine eyes are wedge shaped.
Hammer them directly into the masonry and then feed the wire through a hole.
Although wedge shaped eyes are suitable for brick and stone walls, the screw type are better for wooden fences and posts.
Thread galvanized wire through the hole in the vine eye and wrap it around itself to form a firm fixing.
Thread the other end through the intermediate eyes, set at no more than 6 feet intervals and preferably closer, and fasten the wire around the end eye, keeping it as taut as possible.
Spread out the main stems and attach them to the wires, using either plastic ties or string.
Tie at several points, if necessary, so that the stems lie flat against the wall and do not flap about in the wind.
When all of the stems are tied in to the wires they should form a regular fan shape.
Tying the stems in, rather than allowing the climber to grow up the wall naturally, covers the wall better and encourages the plant to produce flowering buds all along the top edge of the stems.
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