Climbers - support

Hi, I have lots of fence space and a side of a garage that I would like to cover with climbers, I already have a few ivies, that are allegedly self clinging so for now have attached with a nail and some ties to give them a chance to attach, what about clematis, by all accounts its best to cut them back well every year, if thats the case what is the best way to attach them to the fence, should i use a trellis or wire attached to fixings. Surely if they have had a good seasons growth it is difficult to unattach the plant where it is intertwined (from above the place you cut). Sorry to be so ignorant, i have always loved gardening but until now have always had established gardens with no room for climbers, so have no experience.

 

Best way with iveys is not to be in a hurry to get them to go up. Let them grow allong the ground and they will find there own way up from side shoots and layering giving a denser effect.

As to clemetis, not all clematis are pruned back. You need to know the aspect of your wall and the group of your clematis. You can get evergreen clamitis that like shade or big fancy ones that love sun. check before you buy.

 

Thanks, thats useful about the ivy

 

Climbing roses look well and will give a good summer\ autumn display. I bought 3 this year pink, yellow and red. I tidy mine up early spring with the pruner, then add some compost and fertiliser.

 

hydrangea petiolaris is another self-clinging climber - have a look http://www.floralimages.co.uk/phydrapetio.htm

 

Hi Sharon. I have a number of Clematis growing along fence panels. I put screws into the panel and then wound wire round them. I just wired up each panel by itself, so that if one panel blew down it would not effect the others. I used nails first but soon realised that these could put out, and replaced them with screws. I have heard it suggested that you can put rolled chicken wire on the top of the panel, to give a lot of area of grip, as this is where there will be a lot of growth when they are mature. I haven't got to that point yet.

If you tie the shoots to the wires, when you cut the ties it is fairly easy to pull the Clematis away.

As Waco said, Clematis have various pruning requirements. Try these sites :-

http://www.saska.demon.co.uk/index2.html
http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/
http://www.climbing-plants.info/Clematis.htm

The principle is that early flowering Clematis flower on last years growth, so if you prune it early in the year you are cutting off all the flowering points. The others, which flower later, flower on this years growth. So you can prune them in Feb/March.

 

Thanks Peter, good idea about wiring each panel independantly.