Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old 17-02-2005, 05:27 PM
Earl
 
Posts: n/a
Default Beware of vines that could damage your house! (Plantman Article)

The Plant Man column
for publication week of 02/20/05 - 02/26/05
(730 words)
###

The Plant Man
by Steve Jones
www.landsteward.org

Beware of vines that could damage your house!

It's question time again. With spring just around the corner, many
readers are sending me questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping.
If you e-mail a question or comment to I'll
respond personally and some questions will be included in future
columns.

QUESTION: "I need a very fast growing vine, shrub, or ivy to cover the
outside wall of our house. It looks bad and it stands about 10-15 feet
tall. Any suggestions?" – Lance Tanner

ANSWER: Many of the faster growing vines can cause permanent
structural damage to a house. My recommendation, if you do decide to
use a vine, is to put up a trellis or wiring for the vine to attach
itself to as this will help to prevent damage to your home's exterior.
I would stay away from Boston Ivy and Wisteria especially for that
reason. Consider English Ivy or Clematis.

If you were to put a ready made trellis over the exposed area of your
house, it would automatically improve the looks and then you could use
a deciduous vine like the Clematis or even climbing roses. Then you
might even get by with having shrubs growing to hide the lower portion
of your house with the trellis covering the upper portion. For year
round coverage, you will need evergreen shrubs. You should visit your
local garden center for their selection of evergreen shrubs and vines
or do an online search.

QUESTION: "I regularly read your column and I am always looking for
ideas and info I can use in my gardening. Today I have two questions:
I have ordered two different kinds of apple trees: two Honey Crisp and
two Fireside apple trees. My first question is: How far apart do the
trees have to be from each other and how far apart do the Honey Crisps
have to be from the Firesides? Would they cross pollinate?

"Actually I have a third question: is it okay to plant them in the
same vicinity as butter nut trees? I don't have a lot of planting
space with a lot of sun, so I would like to plant all four trees in
the same general area, and I already have butternut trees in that
area. I could move the butternut trees, as they are not very big yet.
Thank you for your help; and thank you for writing the ‘Plant Man'
articles in the paper." – Vi Leff

ANSWER: The simple answer is that you can plant all the apple trees at
a distance of about 20 feet from each other, assuming they are
"standard" trees. (Dwarf varieties can be planted closer together.)
There is no reason to separate the Honey Crisps from the Firesides,
and if they are within about 60 feet of each other, there's a
possibility that they'll cross-pollinate.

As for the butternut, I suggest you place it off by itself as they
sometimes do not cohabit well with other trees.

QUESTION: "I just read a recent column of yours and I'm interested in
taking a soil sample in my yard/garden. Although my turfgrass is
healthy, a few of my trees & shrubs (river birch, burning bush, phlox,
& dwarf lilac) exhibit poor or "off" color compared to similar plants
around town. I'm good about watering (but not over-watering) and
fertilizing. Can you help educate me as to the proper steps in taking
a (multiple, if needed) soil sample and where to send it?" – Mark
Adams

ANSWER: It is quite easy to take any soil sample yourself and
determine the pH of your soil with
even a small kit that can be found online. If you're having trouble
locating one, send me an e-mail at
For a more
extensive type of sample you can contact your local soil and
water conservation district office. To find the closest one to you go
to this link:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ Under normal conditions the
trees you mentioned will do well under a neutral pH of around 7.0,
give or take. My advice would be to try the easy way first and then if
you need more information go to the conservation district office.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs
and landscaping to and for resources and
additional information, or to subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed
newsletter, visit
www.landsteward.org
  #2   Report Post  
Old 17-02-2005, 08:51 PM
paghat
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In article , Janet Baraclough
wrote:

The message
from (Earl) contains these words:


ANSWER: Many of the faster growing vines can cause permanent
structural damage to a house. My recommendation, if you do decide to
use a vine, is to put up a trellis or wiring for the vine to attach
itself to as this will help to prevent damage to your home's exterior.
I would stay away from Boston Ivy and Wisteria especially for that
reason.


Wisteria can only attach itself to wires or a trellis, it won't
adhere direct to solid walls, therefore it can't "damage your home's
exterior" or "cause permanent structural damage".


I think Earl had it right. A wisteria on Queen Ann Hill in Seattle lifted
a Victorian mansion off its foundation. The wisteria was itself close to a
century old before it did this, but it did it. The structural damage was
extreme & cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair, on a house worth
millions.

Wisteria most certainly do attach themselves to shingled walls or siding.
My wisteria is still quite young & has already ripped off a dozen shingles
from the garage. I cut out branches that work their way under shingles,
but can't keep ahead of it. I'm not fond of those whitewashed shingles so
I let the wisteria do its dirty deed & I don't much complain.

Your proviso "solid" wall would be correct but most walls will have a few
features like window frames, or encased wiring, or downspouts, besides
decks &amp railings sticking out from a wall, all of which wisteria would
love to rip through if allowed to grow wild. If the wall is not solid, but
made or real or aluminum siding, Wisteria can pry that loose not by
rooting but by inserting parts of young branchings into every opening,
overlap, or crack, then fattening & extending. Wisteria roots can also
cause foundation damage, though no more so than any other gigantic vine or
tree planted right up against a foundation.

Many other vines such as climbing hydrangea adhere to & discolor walls but
do them no injury if its a solid wall, but any kind of composit wall with
siding or shingles will get parts of the wall pried off when vines work
their way into every access point or crack. Many clinging vines such as
boston ivy are supposed to be harmless to properly made & sealed &
uncracked brick or masonry walls, but the same vines cause damage to
woodframe houses if only by holding moisture forever against the house,
causing wood to rot, & hiding the presence of carpenter ants or fungus,
besides lifting siding.

-paghat the ratgirl
--
Get your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt he
http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html
"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden
people maintaining a free civil government." -Thomas Jefferson
  #3   Report Post  
Old 17-02-2005, 09:19 PM
Bill Oliver
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In article ,
paghat wrote:
... but the same vines cause damage to
woodframe houses if only by holding moisture forever against the house,
causing wood to rot, & hiding the presence of carpenter ants or fungus,
besides lifting siding.


Bummer. I have a house on a slope, which means that the basement
has a walkout, and the ground floor is about 8 feet above the
ground in the backyard. There is a deck off the first floor
in the back that is thus up fairly high, with a large area
of ground shaded and covered by it. I was planning on enclosing
it, as a place to store my lawnmower and such, with a wood
lattice and planting maypops and clematis.

Is this a bad idea?

billo
  #5   Report Post  
Old 17-02-2005, 10:41 PM
Bill Oliver
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In article ,
paghat wrote:

I can't imagine maypops & (deciduous) clematis ever being a problem,
though they may not be compatible vines given that maypops/passion vines
don't want to be watered, & clematis do.


I don't think that will be a problem -- one side of the house
is dry and the other is wet. I figured I'd let them fight it out.

billo



  #6   Report Post  
Old 17-02-2005, 10:48 PM
Roy
 
Posts: n/a
Default

My opinion is creeping fig and dutchmans pipe are twop good
vines.........Dutchmans pipe will die back in fall, creeping fig may
or may not depending on the area, but my CF does not seem to get up
and into tiny crevices etc like Ivy and others do.....and its not
really all that fast of a grower so keeping it under check is not
hard........

REMEMBER: "This is worth repeating for benefit of al newbies!
Jo Ann asked Dr. Solo to remind people that while she has retired from selling GF (and sold
the business to Ken Fischer http://dandyorandas.com/) she has NOT retired from
helping people with sick GF and koi FOR FREE. 251-649-4790 phoning is best for
diagnosis. but, can try email put "help sick fish" in subject. Get your fish at Dandy Orandas
Dandy Orandas Dandy Orandas........you guys got that DANDY ORANDAS
  #7   Report Post  
Old 19-02-2005, 01:50 AM
Gary
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Your advice is ignorant garbage.

Jesus, Janet! Who ****ed on your Cheerios?

  #8   Report Post  
Old 19-02-2005, 09:00 PM
madgardener
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Ann" wrote in message
...
Janet Baraclough expounded:

Wisteria can only attach itself to wires or a trellis, it won't
adhere direct to solid walls, therefore it can't "damage your home's
exterior" or "cause permanent structural damage".


That's not true, Janet, wisteria can severely damage buildings, I've
seen a garage pulled to one side and collapsed due to the weight.

Another example is really pretty funny....a woman bought an older home
that had a gorgeous wall of wisteria (the house was brick ended). In
and upstairs bedroom were a set of drawers built into the eaves. They
couldn't for the life of them pull the drawers open. Finally they had
a carpenter dismantle the drawers to see what was wrong....the
wisteria's hold-fasts had hold of the drawer backs! The vine had
invaded the side of the house between the studs, anywhere it could get
a grip.

You should never allow wisteria to grow directly on a building.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************


another sneaky and distructive vine is Trumpet vine, or Campsis
bignoniaceae. I have the two vines that Mary Emma had me dig up years ago
in her lower yard, planted one next to the light pole at the opening of my
side yard where it flourishes way too much. Between the need to get on a
ladder to clip the seed pods before they ripen and split open to let fly all
their children seeds on wings of gossamer fuzz like milk weed, or their
roots popping leather covered steel shoots that appear feet from the parent
vine in my raised western bed, the love of the blossoms and food for the
hummers is greatly decreased by all the problems I'm experiencing with this
gift.

There is one vine that sprouted from seed years ago under the nook mini deck
(I call it a boardwalk as it's so narrow) that forced it's way thru the
planks cracks to attach to my outside fireplace bricks. After seeing how it
bulked up like it was on steroids in just two years, I pulled it off the
bricks, whacked the vine and carefully crawled under the walkway and whacked
the trunk. It returns like a bad B grade sci-fi movie every year. I'll have
to dose it will Round-up this spring once it warms up and hope the chemical
salts won't harm the many residents of my NSSG (not so secret garden) which
lie just a few feet from this sneaky inhabitant.

There is yet another vine that I had lifted of this digging that I had
originally planted next to the half dead maple tree that I've long ago
removed, and when I lifted the roots of this other specimen and for the time
being, just sat it against the daughter seedling Pawlonia tree that had
sprung up near the outbuilding several yards on the opposite side where the
mother tree is, I forgot about it and never planted it.

It didn't matter. It felt or tasted the soil beneath it's roots/feet and
pulled itself into the ground where it was and now grows next to a fatter
Pawlonia daughter. I will regret it later on when it thrives like it's
sibling on the opposite side of the property. I know while I'm not paying
attention to it there on the eastern side of the property, it's seed pods
have probably launched a take over of the tangled and almost impassible
eastern side of my lower woods where poison ivy, poison oak, cedar trees,
honey locust trees and privet, privet, privet, as well as wild roses and
some blackberry canes reside. (I need a bobcat to tear into that eastern
end......................)

I've even seen what the beautiful Akibia vine can do, and I adore it! There
aren't a lot of vines that don't do some harm that are perennial if given
the chance over time.

And lets hope we don't get into a ****ing contest over this subject. It's
just good garden banter back and forth we've got going here. I'm actually
enjoying seeing the remarks and comments and mild disagreements and
agreements going on here. Makes me feel like the old newsgroup is
back.......but then, that's just me. gbseg The only one not thrown out a
comment so far is Tomkanpa and Zhan......

madgardener, up on the ridge, back in Faerie Holler, overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee, zone 7, Sunset zone 36 where I have Campsis,
Jackmanii and a few other slowly growing clematis vines, and apparently my
climbing Hydrangea has chosen the mother Pawlonia tree as it's support still
in the pot, unless I tear it off now and plant it against a Jack pine in my
woods this spring...........



  #9   Report Post  
Old 20-02-2005, 08:23 PM
glenon
 
Posts: n/a
Default

And I keep pulling out virginia creeper, it sure does climb the house fast!
Plus, I've got lots of greenbriar all over the yard - I keep cutting it down
and it keeps coming back. And besides the fact that the early tips are good
in salads, they have got to go! They are all over my tangerine tree, which
is also getting covered with cape coral vine and passionflower vines. The
tree is too close to the fence where these grow and oh, how I hate to cut
them, but I will tomorrow. I never know where the beach sunflowers are
going to show up! I originally planted them neatly in the front yard with
the sea grapes, now they are everywhere! Just like my thumbergia. And that
is the February report from down south in Palmetto, Florida. Oh, yeah, the
mangoes and orange trees are blooming, ahhhh, heavenly.

--
gloria - only the iguanas know for sure


  #10   Report Post  
Old 21-02-2005, 09:19 PM
raycruzer
 
Posts: n/a
Default

A lot of good advice here, as well as some healthy disputes, for us all
to learn from.

I found a nice web page with info and images of a number of vines,
including the Japanese wisteria and Chinese wisteria:
http://www.sheridangardens.com/theplants_vines.htm.
Peace.

__________________________

Talk about weeds: www.ergonica.com/grooming.htm

Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Shrubs should enhance, not obscure, your view! (plantman article) Earl@Greenwood Gardening 0 25-08-2005 05:45 PM
Your young trees will need TLC and water this summer (Plantman Article) Earl@Greenwood Gardening 0 08-06-2005 06:35 PM
These four special trees will enhance your landscape (Plantman Article) Earl@Greenwood Gardening 0 20-05-2005 04:21 AM
Help your lawn breathe: organic or mechanical treatment? (PlantMan Article) earl Gardening 0 28-10-2004 06:49 PM
Pruning: a kindly cut for your trees - Plantman Article Earl Buchan Gardening 0 20-11-2003 07:10 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:54 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017