On Sat, 02 Apr 2005 12:22:50 GMT, David 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!


Any suggestions on how to get Passiflora edulis seeds to sprout. I
received a bunch as a gift last fall, so far I've tried pete tabs and
sowing them straight into potting soil in 4 inch pots. So far nary a
sprout is to be seen. Should I pre-soak the seeds? score them, soak them
in alcohol or peroxide?

I read in one of the gardening books that you might try soaking them in a
vinegar solution to help them germinate. It's supposed to simulate the acid they
go through inside the stomachs of birds when they're eaten in the wild.
I'm fortunate enough to have some wild passionflowers growing on my property,
but I was thinking of trying to spread them around a bit more. I did gather a
few of the fruit last year. Maybe I'll experiment with the seeds and see if I
can get them to germinate. I was also thinking maybe nicking the seeds might do
the trick.


Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional.