Virginia Creeper won't creep
Kate A
I know this sounds stupid but my Virginia Creeper won't cling to and creep
up the wall it is planted beside. I understood that it would cling to the
wall easily using it's wee sucker pads but mine just hangs down around it's
roots. I planted it last year and angled it into the wall about a foot
away. It was about a foot high last autumn and has grown about 3 or 4 feet
this year - but it isn't clinging to the wall. It is in a large half
barrell as there is no soil in that bit of the garden. It is trying to grow
up the south facing wall of my house but the new growth is trailing along
the ground. Any advice on how to make it cling? I know that south facing
isn't ideal but would that affect it's ability to climb? Please help as I
really want this to grow 'cos I know it will look amazing if it does!
Thanks in advance
Kate xx
Sarah Holford
In article <899075245.4963.0...@news.demon.co.uk>, Kate A
<Ka...@talieson.demon.co.uk> writes
8<snip>8
> Any advice on how to make it cling? I know that south facing
>isn't ideal but would that affect it's ability to climb? Please help as I
>really want this to grow 'cos I know it will look amazing if it does!
Blu Tak (seriously!)
HTH
Sarah H
--
Sarah Holford, E. Finchley, London UK <sfho...@brownswell.demon.co.uk>
'Let's be careful out there' (Hill Street Blues)
My ICQ# is 10291216
Petra Rawlence
>up the wall it is planted beside.
snip
The same thing happened to the Virginia Creeper I planted 10 years
ago against the wall of a new extension. It grew happily enough up to
roof level, but needed horizontally strung wires to help it along.
For a time I watched those sucker pads carefully. They seemed to develop
alright, but, as soon as they came into contact with the wall, they
shrivveled up. A gardening friend later told me that there is a compound
in modern mortar which is toxic to plants. This is only half an answer,
because it does not explain, why the sucker pads do not cling to the
bricks either.
--
Petra
Camassia
> Any advice on how to make it cling? I know that south facing
>isn't ideal but would that affect it's ability to climb? Please help as I
>really want this to grow 'cos I know it will look amazing if it does!
>Thanks in advance
>
>Kate xx
I think you need to give it a helping hand to set it on its way. I attached
mine to the wall for the first three feet or so using horizontal wires, after
that it started to cling by itself - I had the same problems with a climbing
hydrangea.
Camassia
West Yorkshire
Morley
Kate A wrote in message
<899075245.4963.0...@news.demon.co.uk>...
>I know this sounds stupid but my Virginia Creeper won't cling to and creep
>up the wall it is planted beside. I understood that it would cling to the
>wall easily using it's wee sucker pads but mine just hangs down around it's
>roots. I planted it last year and angled it into the wall about a foot
>away. It was about a foot high last autumn and has grown about 3 or 4 feet
>this year - but it isn't clinging to the wall. It is in a large half
>barrell as there is no soil in that bit of the garden. It is trying to
grow
>up the south facing wall of my house but the new growth is trailing along
>the ground. Any advice on how to make it cling? I know that south facing
>isn't ideal but would that affect it's ability to climb? Please help as I
>really want this to grow 'cos I know it will look amazing if it does!
>Thanks in advance
>
>Kate xx
>
Might be something in the wall material that it doesn't like. If it's a
brick wall and the mortar is very 'lime-y' and gets washed onto the bricks
by rain, the plant won't enjoy it. Morley
Kate A
Thanks guys! I'll attach some horizontal wires and see if that gets it
going. The wall is painted roughcast. Maybe it's something in the paint?
Anyway, thanks for advice - I'll let you know how I get on...
Kate xx
Morley wrote in message
<899106576.3375.3...@news.demon.co.uk>...
Petra Rawlence
In article <n3$A9DA83...@little-croham.demon.co.uk>, Petra Rawlence
<petrar...@little-croham.demon.co.uk> writes
>>up the wall it is planted beside.
>
>
>The same thing happened to the Virginia Creeper I planted 10 years
>ago
I forgot to add that an ordinary ivy does not seem to have any problems
creeping up that same wall just a yard or two away.
--
Petra
Judith Lea
>really want this to grow 'cos I know it will look amazing if it does!
>Thanks in advance
Don't worry there is nothing wrong with the wall or the plant. There are
two types of Parenticussus (yes I know wrong spelling) All have the tiny
sucker pads but the one you have discards those as soon as they touch a
solid surface and sends out tendrils instead which obviously need wires
etc. The Virginia creeper you want is commonly called Boston Ivy and
these suckers stick to the wall and no other support is needed. HTH
--
Judith Lea
Mighty Blob
Kate A my Virginia Creeper won't cling to and creep up the wall it is
planted beside
Maybe the wall is too hot???????
moy
Kay
Sarah Holford wrote>8<snip>8
>> Any advice on how to make it cling? I know that south facing
>>really want this to grow 'cos I know it will look amazing if it does!
>
>
That sounds a good idea.
Mine is having no difficulty clinging, but the first year I tucked it
behind the cable from the television aerial to give it a bit of a 'leg
up'.
--
Kay
k...@scarboro.demon.co.uk
Sarah Holford
In article <B8Qa8eA5...@scarboro.demon.co.uk>, Kay
<k...@scarboro.demon.co.uk> writes
>Sarah Holford wrote
8<snip>8
>>
>>Blu Tak (seriously!)
>>
>That sounds a good idea.
>Mine is having no difficulty clinging, but the first year I tucked it
>behind the cable from the television aerial to give it a bit of a 'leg
>up'.
Thanks Kay. I was beginning to believe everybody thought I was
seriously short of a sandwich here. Actually it's an idea I got from
Geoff Hamilton several years ago and it worked perfectly in getting my
variegated ivy started on the fence.
Sarah H :o)
Mighty Blob
Judith Lea wrote >Don't worry there is nothing wrong with the wall or the
plant. There are
>two types of Parenticussus (yes I know wrong spelling) All have the tiny
>sucker pads but the one you have discards those as soon as they touch a
>solid surface and sends out tendrils instead which obviously need wires
>etc. The Virginia creeper you want is commonly called Boston Ivy and
>these suckers stick to the wall and no other support is needed. HTH
I have a Parthenocissus Quinquefolia, virginia creeper, suckering like mad
to a north facing (timber) fence. (granted not a wall at all) the RHS
cyclops suggests they like it in semi shade.
HTH
moy
ps. P. Tricuspidata is the boston ivy - colours up later - spoilt for
choice. {:o)
pps. Just noticed (on same page RHS) Vitis Vinifera 'Purpurea'- good
colours - likes the sun.
Kay
Judith Lea wrote
>>really want this to grow 'cos I know it will look amazing if it does!
>
>Don't worry there is nothing wrong with the wall or the plant. There are
>two types of Parenticussus (yes I know wrong spelling) All have the tiny
>sucker pads but the one you have discards those as soon as they touch a
>solid surface and sends out tendrils instead which obviously need wires
>etc. The Virginia creeper you want is commonly called Boston Ivy and
>these suckers stick to the wall and no other support is needed. HTH
I thought Boston Ivy was the one with ivy like leaves, and Virginia
Creeper was the one with leaflets and the better autumn colour? Mine's
the second and is climbing up all by itself. But then sandstone is a
pretty easy surface.
--
Kay
k...@scarboro.demon.co.uk
Judith Lea
In article <xZZGlIBf...@scarboro.demon.co.uk>, Kay
<k...@scarboro.demon.co.uk> writes
>I thought Boston Ivy was the one with ivy like leaves, and Virginia
>Creeper was the one with leaflets and the better autumn colour? Mine's
>the second and is climbing up all by itself. But then sandstone is a
>pretty easy surface.
I'll bring you a leaf of the Boston Ivy and a leaf of the suckerless one
and we can have a post mortem, my Boston Ivy and the Parentawhatsit go
the same colour in Autumn.
--
Judith Lea
Judith Lea
In article <xZZGlIBf...@scarboro.demon.co.uk>, Kay
<k...@scarboro.demon.co.uk> writes
>I thought Boston Ivy was the one with ivy like leaves, and Virginia
>Creeper was the one with leaflets and the better autumn colour? Mine's
>the second and is climbing up all by itself. But then sandstone is a
>pretty easy surface.
Further to the earlier posting, I have been outside and taken the labels
off the bottom of the ivy, yes I know lazybones. The creeper which does
not have suckers but has tendrils is Parthenocissus Quinquefolia
(Virginia Creeper) and the one that has suckers which are sticking to
the wall is Parthenocissus Tricuspidata Veitchi, which the garden centre
told me is Boston Ivy, is this correct? You are quite right when you
say the Boston Ivy is more ivy shaped leaved, it has three (tri) as
opposed to the five lobed Virginia Creeper.
--
Judith Lea
Kate A
Mighty Blob wrote in message <6n89ad$3gg$2...@heliodor.xara.net>...
>
>Maybe the wall is too hot???????
>
>moy
I know it's south facing and probably too hot - but this is where I want it
to be! Typical stubborn female - but I've seen other peoples climbing up
south facing walls and looking none the worse for it.
Besides, in Scotland a south facing wall doesn't necessarily mean hot -
usually only a bit warm :o)
Kate
Kate A
Judith Lea wrote in message ...
>In article <xZZGlIBf...@scarboro.demon.co.uk>, Kay
><k...@scarboro.demon.co.uk> writes
The creeper which does not have suckers but has tendrils is Parthenocissus
Quinquefolia
>(Virginia Creeper) and the one that has suckers which are sticking to
>the wall is Parthenocissus Tricuspidata Veitchi, which the garden centre
>told me is Boston Ivy, is this correct? You are quite right when you
>say the Boston Ivy is more ivy shaped leaved, it has three (tri) as
>opposed to the five lobed Virginia Creeper.
>
>--
>Judith Lea
I checked the label on mine aswell and it's Parthenocissus Quinquefolia
aswell. Also the label says sun or shade (as opposed to the books which say
prefers shade) I also noticed that where previously it was just wee suckers
there are now tendrils so this makes sense. I have manually wound some of
the tendrils round knobbly bits on the wall but will put up horizontal wires
at the weekend. Thanks very much for your help.
ps. Is it okay to put screws directly into the house wall?
Kate.
Kate A
After checking the label on the plant it says sun or shade so I don't think
this can be why it won't cling.
Kate.
Mighty Blob wrote in message <6n89ad$3gg$2...@heliodor.xara.net>...
>
>Kate A my Virginia Creeper won't cling to and creep up the wall it is
>planted beside
>
Peter Hesketh
In article <899230043.6707.0...@news.demon.co.uk>, Kate A
<Ka...@talieson.demon.co.uk> writes
>Is it okay to put screws directly into the house wall?
It is OK, but it is better to use galvanised screw-in vine eyes,
available at B+Q etc
--
Regards, Peter Hesketh Monmouthshire UK
Twenty reasons why chocolate is better than sex: number 5
"If you bite the nuts too hard the chocolate won't mind."
andy roberts
Virginia Creeper ( quinqefolia) will grow over the top of a 4 storey
house after a few years but it does need a leg up. The new growth
climbs rapidly but can also be easily dislodged by a storm . Once
the stem has hardened, though , it's like a tree growing up against
the wall.
I don't think the plant in a barrel will do too well, so get a
club hammer and chisel and knock a hole down through the concrete or
whatever and plant it in the ground.
Autumn colour can be spectatcular, but short lived , depending
on the wind.
Andy R
--
andy...@aol.com
Honesty is what we make it. Truth is convenience. Foma is nice
Paul Mc Cann
In article <Iv3rtgB+...@phesk.demon.co.uk>, p...@phesk.demon.co.uk
says...
spell it ;-) ) was to regularly spray the wall with water to encourage
the creeper to start.
It worked a treat (on a south facing wall to boot) and now the trouble is
keeping the booger under control.
--
Paul Mc Cann
Jane Ransom
In article <3599690b...@news.thefree.net>, andy roberts
<andy...@aol.com> writes
> Autumn colour can be spectatcular, but short lived , depending
>on the wind.
>
you have a good rake ready :((
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
Kate A
Paul Mc Cann wrote in message ...
>In article <Iv3rtgB+...@phesk.demon.co.uk>, p...@phesk.demon.co.uk
regularly spray the wall with water to encourage
>the creeper to start.
>
>It worked a treat (on a south facing wall to boot) and now the trouble is
>keeping the booger under control.
>--
>Paul Mc Cann
>
Thanks Paul - I'll try that!
Kate.
jo
At the end of my garden is a 30 foot ugly breezblock building . I always wanted a
Boston Ivy , but when i saw some Virginia creeper on sale at the market i though
blow spending the 6 quid ill get this instead . I now its nice but i spent a year
and a half masking taping it to the wall and then when the wind got up it tore it
away again . It made loads of growth, it was keeping it up there that was the
problem . Also there was a nearby tree that i should have realized it would
invade so in the end even though it caused me pain i did away with it and bought
the Boston Ivy . It has the most lovely way of clinging to the wall very flat and
never causes any bother , and as bits of it do not wave about i think the tree is
safe from invasion . Jo ~:c)
Camassia wrote:
> In article <899075245.4963.0...@news.demon.co.uk>, "Kate A"
> <Ka...@talieson.demon.co.uk> writes:
>
> > Any advice on how to make it cling? I know that south facing
> >isn't ideal but would that affect it's ability to climb? Please help as I
> >really want this to grow 'cos I know it will look amazing if it does!
> >Thanks in advance
> >