planning to start a deck garden- some general question

10 years ago

Hi everyone! Recently I moved to a new apartment with a nice east facing deck (8ftx16ft). Unfortunately it's also very close to the deck of the house next door on one end and has a fairly unsightly view of our neighbors backyard on the other end.

I was hoping to grow some sort of hardy vine I could train as a sorta fence trellis to block both views. Ideally it would be something I could grow from a container and/or multiple containers. I was thinking either boston ivy or clematis?

I'm not entirely sure what size containers I would need to grow both in so that they can provide some sort of adequate trellis fence effect and how hardy they would be in the zone(6) I'm in.

Thank you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

schnookable
10 years ago
I don't have any recommendations as I am rather clueless on the vine topic. I'm growing a Wisteria vine in a 50+ gallon pot and it seems to be doing well. By doing well, it's flowering and sprouting everyday. What I don't like about Wisteria on the balcony is that its leaves droop here and there. Mainly because of the wind and receiving only AM sun.
VGtar
10 years ago
For the hardiness of clematis, it depends on just which clematis you choose. Since you are in zone 6, you should choose something that will make it in zone 4 (potted plants are less cold hardy than those in ground).
Comtesse De Bouchaud: USDA Zone 3a
Sweet Autumn: USDA Zone 4a
Warszawska Nike: 4a
Ville de Lyon: 4a
and many more.

I've grown one in a self-watering pot that is around 20 litres = 5 US gallons. I added some pine bark mulch to the soil, to slow compaction.
You probably wont be able to fill a trellis in the first season, but you could sow a bean or two next to it to help fill out that trellis. Being a legume, the bean also adds nitrogen to the soil, so that might help your clematis grow a bit faster.
Related Discussions
A Couple General Gardening Questions
Q
Comments (4)
Seedmeals are a good source of nitrogen, notably alfalfa meal, soybean meal and kelp meal (although a touch weaker in the N dept. and more expensive). Blood meal is also a good nitrogen boost, but may attract animals. Bone meal is a great source for phosophorus. A very good recipe for a Complete Organic Fertilizer comes from Steve Solomon, and is as follows: 4 parts seedmeal or composted chicken manure 1 part lime (ideally 1/2 dolomite and 1/2 horticultural...just not quick lime) 1 part bone meal or rock phosphate 1 part kelp meal (ideal, but not necessary) Mix by volume, not weight. Work 1 gallon into 100 square feet a few days to one week prior to planting. Side dress existing plants as necessary (I know this was one of your questions, but it really depends on the plants as to when to apply). As for fertilizing after spring crops, really depends on what your spring crops were. For instance, if you were growing peas, I wouldn't really touch the bed. Cut the vines/bushes off at soil level and leave the roots intact. Otherwise, I would work in some of the COF above after you have taken out the plants. Just broadcast and rake it into the surface. Hope that helps. Michael
...See More
Some general gardening questions
Q
Comments (11)
Well, let's start with that moles mostly eat earthworms. They are not attracted to other types of baits. Even though Wikipedia says they eat some nuts, I have never heard of that before. The grub thing is also a myth (see link). I love moles and think they get the rap for a lot of damage done by other critters (chipmunks, voles, mice, gophers, etc.). Yes, they can dig up your yard. However, it is the rodents (moles are not rodents) that use their tunnels that eat plants. I once managed to catch the one that was in my flower beds by watching the tunnels. I could see it moving and I stepped on the one side, cutting off its escape. Then I dug it up and deposited it outside my yard. Now that was a lucky shot. I think if you constantly water your grass, you end up with earthworms in the upper portion of the earth. If you let it stay drier, they will go further down and moles will follow. I have no problems with killing pests. Our human ways have led to an explosion in certain animals. I keep telling my hubby that we have to start culling the chipmunks as we have gone from the occasional sighting to multiple little chip and dales dancing in our yard. We are constructing rock walls and all I see are chipmunk jungle gyms. He doesn't believe me. Wait till his veggies are all "sampled". However, I am really not looking forward to emptying a "Chipper Dipper". I wish I had a more humane way to dispatch them. Check out the link for some suggestions on moles. Cheers, Elisabeth Here is a link that might be useful: Moles in lawn
...See More
fall veggies and a couple of general garden questions
Q
Comments (4)
70 is the magic number. Most of the common veggie seeds sprout when the temps are around 70 degrees, not too hot or not too cold. Plenty of the plants on your list will handle our winters without a problem but they have to be kinda large to do well since once the daylight shrinks in mid November there just isn't enough light to encourage strong growth. So you have to either start seeds indoors under lights and wait for the summer heat to go away (please please please) or buy seedlings from the garden center. I imagine stuff will show up at the end of August. Carrots taste sweeter if grown in the winter. The biggest problem is that it takes all winter long to get large carrots and they don't sprout well in high heat, and they hate being transplanted so you're at their mercy - sow seeds in mid or late August and don't expect big carrots until next spring. Beets taste better if grown during the cool part of the year also. They're easy and grow fast and don't mind the cold. Chard looks better in the winter but you can grow it pretty much all year long here. (It is just a beet that doesn't form much of a bulb). I've planted my last crop of green beans now and should be picking beans up until frost. There's still plenty of time for them. Bok Choy and all the other Asian greens can be sown the minute the daytime temps get under 85 (hopefully 70). They don't sprout much in high heat. They usually hold up during the minor freezes. The leaves sometimes show damage from harsh winter weather - but usually they do fine and taste better with nightly frosts. Brussels Sprouts are only worth growing if you're gonna leave them on the plant through the winter - otherwise they taste just like storebought cabbage. The sprouts will kinda stand still once things cool off but they get candy sweet when the nights get frosty. I get better broccoli in the winter than in the spring but I usually have to plant store bought seedlings a couple of times to get them in the ground right when the temps cool off - it's always a guessing game. If your garlic bulbs haven't rotted they will resprout and grow all winter - they are unfazed by cold. As far as what else can you grow - I like Arugula or Rocket and any of the small Cress greens. Stuff like Fava beans will grow through the winter here but you don't get beans until mid Spring (keep in mind that some people are allergic to Fava's). I would also plant some Shallots - they do well, are as easy as garlic and you can pluck out a bulb or two whenever you want one rather than having a season like garlic. I protect my winter greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula) with a plastic covering and have never had a problem with the cold. A 4 by 4 space devoted to greens will feed you til next spring when you can grow them without protection. Good luck.
...See More
Going to start looking for a new HVAC system. General Questions.
Q
Comments (14)
I have a half-ton window unit that with large floor type fan cools 1200-sf per/ton in 100ÃÂ°F weather. On July 18, 2011, as reported on WI Public Radio; very near me, Prairie du Chien, WI had a Heat Index of 127ÃÂ°F, yes, 127ÃÂ°F Heat Index! All shades pulled, etc., my little Half-Ton first floor A/C cooled all rooms to 76ÃÂ°F or 77ÃÂ°F & and rarely above 55% relative humidity; with good air movement, -- totally comfortable all day. The same for the up-stair's less than Half-Ton window A/C, cools my bedroom, hallway & bathroom; I use a Wind Machine 3300 to move the air throughout the rooms, both on first & 2nd floors. If everything is design-engineered perfectly it is possible that a 3-Ton A/C could cool a 3600-sf home. Here is a link that might be useful: Optimizing a Room A/C
...See More
chloeasha
10 years ago
Ivy can be slow growing. Clematis is a good idea-- some are even evergreen if that is a desired trait. A climbing rose like Felicite et Perpetue is also evergreen and the whole foliage smells strongly of roses. I have hardy star jasmine which is doing well in a shadier spot. If you wanted to go annual, morning glories or cobaea are nice ideas.
VGtar
10 years ago
Speaking of roses. I'm now growing (for the second time) a rose called ZÃÂ©phirine Drouhin (aka Charles Bonnet). If you want a climbing rose, this one is highly recomendable. Blooms repeatedly with very scented semi-double pink flowers. I have read somewhere that they will be alright in more shaded areas, but I don't know if this is actually true.
The red canes are quite thin, and easy to bend, so that you can attach it to a trellis. It's virtually thornless, which makes it ideal on a balcony, where thorns otherwise can be quite a nuisance. I have to say though, that some plants (like the last one I had) might get tiny little thorns with a foot or so between them, but they are so small and few, that this isn't much of an issue.
I grow mine in a self-watering pot, that contains about 4 gallons (15 liters) soil. Again, I have mixed pine bark into this. This will over some years turn into soil, and make sure, I don't have to change all the soil for some years.
In the winter wrap the pot in a few layers of bubble wrap, move it to the wall, tug the canes down behind the pot and give it loads of mulch (as much as you can top up on the pot).

VG
MichaelKelley
10 years ago
when it comes to outdoor space. Pennsylvania bluestone is a great way to do it once and ad equity to your home. And outdoor kitchens are all the rave Bluestone Is a good choice for stone because it is quarried right in the United state and it is great for sustainability too.
succulentabus
10 years ago
I'm on a west-facing balcony with multiple pots of climbers to make a shield. I use several to get different effects during the day/year. I have morning glories and moon flowers (one starts blooming as the other stops during the day). I have winter jasmine and star jasmine, which bloom at different times of year (winter/spring, summer/fall), and I have bougainvilleas to add more color. Morning glories and moon flowers grow FAST (sometimes too fast), but I'm not sure how they'd do on an east facing porch.

planning to start a deck garden- some general question

Comments (6)

schnookable

VGtar

Related Discussions

chloeasha

VGtar

MichaelKelley

succulentabus

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US