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How to train climbing plants on fence?

Hi,

I'd like to train my neighbour's Bougainvillea and Jasminoides to cover my side of the fence.

I'm wondering what the best approach would be? As shown in the second photo, the metal capping of the hardifence/super 6 does have a lip where I could hang something, but I'm not sure which products would fit under there, or how well it would take the weight of the plants.

Cheers.

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Comments

Jason

Hi @ALimestoneWall,

My suggestion is to have some screening trellis that is independently secured to the ground to hold the weight of the plants so you're not going to compromise the fence.

Let me tag some of our experienced members such as @mich1972, @Dave-1 and @DIY4Knuckleheds for their approach. One of our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts will also be happy to assist as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience in the meantime.

Jason

Dave-1

Afternoon @ALimestoneWall

Vines are powerful things... Bougainvillea vines are nasty!!! I tell you they will jump out and stab you with their thorns! 😀 Beautiful flowers but about the fastest growing thorn thing I know of... (I had to prune my grandmas Bougainvillea for years almost every fortnight as the sappers? would grow fast)

Id also suggest a stand alone trellis option as @Jason has and mostly because the vine will pull the fence out of true and shorten the life span (not joking at this point) by adding a large overall weight to it. Jasmine also has the weight and strength but not the thorns... 🙂

Three posts (90*90mm or 100mm * 100mm) in the ground by 600mm min with some steel mesh spread across the 2.4m ish would be a good idea to start planning 🙂

One last Bougainvillea story.... I had to go to the docs after treading on an old dried out Bougainvillea vine and had a 24m long thorn curled out of my heal..... yes he put my foot to sleep first (I was around 14 at the time..... lol)

Dave

DIY4Knuckleheds

Mate, l have a very similar situation at my place where l have Bougainvillea trained on a fence kind of like yours. I installed heavy duty Stainless Steel Eyelets to the top and bottom metal channels and then strung heavy duty stainless steel wire in a criss cross pattern from Eyelet to Eyelet. The Plants have really taken to it but you need to keep it trimmed so it doesn't get out of control.

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/47672#Comment_47672

Hi @ALimestoneWall,

I'm in the same boat as @Jason and @Dave-1 in that you should keep the support structure separate from the fence.

Partly because of the additional weight to the fence, but mostly because there is no guarantee your fence is not asbestos. There is a chance it is not, but the only way to confirm this is to have it tested. When there's any potential for asbestos, I'd always advise leaving it alone. Adding weight, or fixings to the fence, even if it is not in the actual panel, has the potential to cause breakages, so it is better to just keep things separate and not risk it.

I'd suggest putting in some posts in front of the fence like Dave has mentioned and then attaching some trellis or wire mesh to them.

This will give you a separate supporting structure meaning the fence is left well alone.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

ALimestoneWall

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/47644#Comment_47644

Thanks for the replies. 🙂

Yeah I've heard about Bougainvillea being a bit of a pain, but I've dealt with a backyard that was overrun by blackberry vines so I'm prepared. 🙂

Three posts (90*90mm or 100mm * 100mm) in the ground by 600mm min with some steel mesh spread across the 2.4m ish would be a good idea to start planning

What is the 600mm here?

I've just looked at some photos the NBN installers sent and they've put the line in quite close to the fence, so that could make it tricky. I guess the posts would need to be cemented? Are there any guides you'd recommend for that?

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/85935#Comment_85935

Afternoon @ALimestoneWall

The 600mm is the depth of holes you need for the height of the posts to make them secure.

Actually thats pretty nice that they sent the photos 🙂 At least you know where the piping was put.

If you dig 30cm away from the piping that would be fine, I ran my stormwater pipe under the NBN/old phone line and that was only 250mm deepish, I just was careful digging the trench.

Instead of concrete (was talking about this type of installing posts without concrete) You could do what i use to do before I used concrete.

- Dig hole

- Put a flat rock in the bottom, this is to rest the post on.

- Rest your treated post on the rock (I was using old fence rails/posts and didnt treat them)

- Once your post is centered, throw large stones down the hole from opposing sides. This will help wedge them in. Layer it type deal with soil. So stone either side of post all the way around and then some soil. Tamp it with one of the other posts hard, all the way round. continue until you have reached the level ground. I have done these type of posts years ago and the stood for at least 5 years without an issue. Best part you dont have a lump of concrete down the track.

NOTE - Non structual only is what id suggest this for.

If you go the route of concrete I would buy some ready mix Bastion 20kg Post Mix Concrete I would allow 2 bags per 600mm hole. You can mix it up in your wheelbarrow. I do not like the pour the concrete in and then water to teh hole. When ive tried it the water wicks away so fast I dont trust that its doing its job.

Dave

ALimestoneWall

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/108257#Comment_108257

Ah, I see. Thanks.

Is there any type of non-wooden post you'd recommend for this that would last longer?

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/121407#Comment_121407

Afternoon @ALimestoneWall

There are steel posts Australian Handyman Supplies 75 x 75mm x 2.4m Galvanised Steel Fence Post

But really I would go for a treated pine post 90 x 90mm 2.4m Post F7 H4 Treated Pine Premium KD - 2.4m so that would give you 1.8m high space to use. For the length of time you will want the support for the vine before it pulls it out of true, oh yeah its a strong vine the posts will work just fine.

The steel posts may not work so well in the type of non concrete post hole I have explained. They are slippery and have nothing for the rock/soil to create friction and I do think they would want to lean over. You would have to concrete them in. Plus drill the attachment holes for the mesh through steel.

Dave

ALimestoneWall

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/129656#Comment_129656

OK, thanks. 😊

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