In article t,
Troy Lubbers wrote:

Katra wrote:
In article ,
jetgraphics wrote:


I would appreciate any suggestions, ideas, or criticisms of the idea of
using a trellis & wire system to support vines (climbing or drooping) to
shade a rooftop and house side walls in Zone 7 (hot & humid).

Would suspended planters for droopers also work?

Furthermore, if anyone has information on suitable candidates for an edible
sunshade, please post it.

Thank you.




Grapevines? :-)
The only problem with those is that they lose their leaves in the winter.

You could also try Passiflora edulis or Passiflora incarnata.
Those both produce edible fruits, and they tend to be evergreen.

My Passiflora cerulea stayed green all winter thru 4 or 5 good freezes.
I want to find some of the other two species and get them planted here
as well.

Plastic lattice as a trellis looks nice and is more durable than wood
lattice. It's more expensive but lasts forever, and it comes in colors!


From an energy conservation standpoint, losing the leaves in the fall
is a good thing. In the hot sunny weather the foliage shades the house.
In the cool winter weather with the foliage gone the sun warms the
building.

Troy

I actually did think about that... :-)

It's just that I find my naked grapevines in the winter to be none too
attractive. lol I know my neighbor chopped out all of the ones that
had spread to the trees in his yard. I don't think he would have done
that if he knew that they were going to leaf out again. He probably
thought that they were dead. I'm letting them go up into the trees on
this side of the fence!

Besides, the blooms on passion vines are just gorgeous!!!

Here was my very first one ever that bloomed this year. I planted the
vine in a 5 gallon pot next to my greenhouse late last summer:

http://home.centurytel.net/Katraslin...ionFlower2.jpg

--
K.

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