How do you maintain long-term supporting structure of trained plants?

marcos 114 · January 2019

I’m still umming and ahing about a garden border I can have plants trained against long term.

I’m thinking of things like wisteria, jasmine, or espalier trees. I just can’t see how wooden structures (fences and trellises) can be mainted or replaced if an old woody plant becomes intertwined with it?

In my mind the advantage of a wall is it generally lasts a lot longer, and ages well in terms of appearance. The downside of course is the extreme cost difference.

Am am I over thinking this?

Lizzie27 · January 2019

Basically, you can't. Wisteria is too heavy anyway to be trained on a fence. Jasmine will sneakily push between a slatted fence when your back is turned. Espalier trees are slightly different in that the branches are trained on wires between posts, but it would still be difficult to get behind to paint a fence. Clematis and some other climbing plants can be trained onto a trellis panel which is hinged on the bottom horizontal batten, so the whole thing can be swung out and down for maintenance of the fence or wall behind. Otherwise, fences would normally last between 10-15 years at which point you could cut the plant down and replace the fence. Some plants will regrow and some won't.

Yviestevie · January 2019

I've trained against fencing because I couldn't afford to build a wall. I've had a few occasions when I've had to cut back jasmine, honeysuckle, clematis and others because I've had to replace a panel but don't think I've ever lost anything. I always buy treated panels so they usually last a fair amount of time.

Obelixx · January 2019

In my last garden, I used builders wire mesh (for reinforcing concrete) screwed to wooden posts to support clematis and a climbing rose and screen off one part of the garden from another. It's indestructable and doesn't need painting or treating.

I also used it as a back fence eventually after a rosa rugosa hedge suckered and struggled. Again, no maintenance needed and, being in 2m x 5m panels, is very cheap and quick to erect and was a fine support for an assortment of blackberry and tayberry and annual pumpkins.

We planted a holly hedge between us and the beef cattle in the field next door and the perishers would lean over the 3' 6" high barbed wire fence and eat the tender shoots every spring. We had the shortest, fattest holly hedge! Then I erected more wire mesh cut to a height of 4' 6' or so and that stopped the cows without cutting the view or the light to the hedge which finally grew tall. Excellent stuff.

No doubt I shall be using it again here in this garden.

Lizzie27 · January 2019

Obelixx, did you get the wire mesh delivered ? 2m x 5m sounds enormous.

Obelixx · January 2019

No. We put the roof rack on and also bought some 3m posts for burying in concrete boots. Tied the posts on first than the mesh on top. Only a 10 minute drive to builders' merchants.

The great thing about such a length is you can bend it to the posts and aren't restricted to dead straight lines. Our back border with the field behind was a bit bent and the mesh I used as a separator in the garden followed the lines of a dog leg path.

Lizzie27 · January 2019

Thanks Obelixx. Haven't seen that kind of mesh over here, but probably need to look at builders merchants!

Obelixx · January 2019

It exists. I've seen it in gardens on TV and there was a poster on here about 10 years ago who used it all over her garden to support climbers and break up a large space into more manageable portions and themed gardens.

How do you maintain long-term supporting structure of trained plants?

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