full sun vine I can plant NOW (late June) and cover a fence?

17 years ago

I cross-posted this in the vines forum but thought I'd check with folks from my region, too -- I hope that's okay.

This week we finally put the fence around the veggie garden. It's kind of utilitarian looking and I know it's not providing nicest view for the neighbors.

I'm probably asking too much, but is there a fast growing vine that I can plant now (late June) that will fill in over the fence this summer?

The fence is 4 feet high, wire mesh (3x2 rectangles). It gets full sun. I'd like to cover a distance of 30 feet.

The fence is a little floppy (purposefully, to keep woodchucks from climbing it) so nothing TOO heavy that will pull it down.

Flowering would be nice but not necessary. Annual or perennial is fine (I'm guessing annual would grow faster this summer though?).

And, preferably, something woodchucks don't like to munch on, since that's why we put up the ugly fence in the first place.

I know I'm probably asking for WAY too much, but if anybody would know, you guys would. Thanks!

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Comments (6)

drippy
17 years ago
Hmm, can't help you with woodchucks, but I'd suggest maybe scarlet runner bean? The red flowers attract hummingbirds, it's a bean, so it's not too late to plant it, and the beans are edible.
Spy_RI
17 years ago
Morning glories and moonflowers! If you can find some in cell packs, you'll have a head start, but even from seed, it's not too late at all. they really wait for the heat to get going, so starting now would be fine- they won't mind at all. They like a poorish soil. If you start from seed, soak the seeds over night in warm water- some people like to scald them, but I feel like that's getting too complicated for me. I used to nick the seed casings, or scrape them with a nail file, but soaking overnight is so so so much easier! I don't know how woodchucks feel about them though.
Lexi
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ellen_s
17 years ago
Cardinal Climber vine will cover anything within the summer. And the hummingbirds love the red flowers!
arbo_retum
17 years ago
i hope you sank your fencing into the ground (is it 12+"?) or i fear your fence will not do much good.i don't believe woodchucks climb fences.

for vines, grape vine is the 'vine that ate chicago" for vigor but no flowers. Dutchman's pipe and Virginia Creeper are also scary in their vigor, but be careful because you will have to tame them.For flowers, you can still find some pretty big pots of lonicera. Lon. Heckrottii is my particular fav but prob'ly not as vigorous as the regular yellow loniceras.Autumn flowering clematis is also a monster and will easily cover your fence within a season.
best, mindy
ctlady_gw
17 years ago
Have to second Mindy on digging the fence into the ground -- we had woodchucks (large family living under the garage) in our old house, and a 4-foot fence around the vegetable garden which wasn't sunk more than a few inches (maybe 6) into the ground. Woodchucks had a field day with the green beans and peppers in particular (for some reason, they were particularly fond of the jalapeno plant ... I think they must have had the makings for margaritas in their den, needed some salsa for the chips, or something...) We found one fat one sitting right smack in the middle of the garden not five minutes after the trapper had left one day, having retrieved his empty trap, inspecting the perimeter of the garden, and declaring "no signs" of digging (no entry, or "plunge" holes inside the garden, either). We never did figure out how he got inside but either he climbed the fence, or he (or she) was exceptionally neat when it came to digging (and they were NOT neat anywhere else -- I had a mound of dirt about a foot high on the side of the garage where the main entrance to the burrow was!) We fought/trapped them for three years. Every year, a new family was back. GOOD LUCK!!!
garlicgrower
17 years ago
How about Dolichos lablab - the Hyacinth vine. Purple flowers, purple beans. Look fabulous against a bright blue sky.
Goodluck
Maryanne

full sun vine I can plant NOW (late June) and cover a fence?

Comments (6)

drippy

Spy_RI

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