Honeysuckles usually get going pretty quickly

"Mel" wrote in message
...
My newish fence desperately needs to be clothed in greenery. I've planted
hardy wall shrubs such as pyracantha, quince, ceonanthus, jasmine,
passiflora and clematis, but they're all still far too small to hide the
fence.

So, in the meantime I want mega-fast-growing plants to cover the fence
this
year.

I'll be growing the plants from seeds, so I don't mind if they're annual.
I
prefer pink, purple or blue flowery things.

I've chosen some fairly unusual, tender seeds, so can anyone tell me if
these plants will (a) cover my fence this year and (b) even grow here in
NW
England?

Rhodochiton
Billardiera
Akebia
Asarina
Eccremocarpus
Cobaea
Ipomea

Or any other recommendations for mega-fast, cover-the-fence-this-summer
climbers?

Many thanks.

"Mel" wrote:
My newish fence desperately needs to be clothed in greenery. I've planted
hardy wall shrubs such as pyracantha, quince, ceonanthus, jasmine,
passiflora and clematis, but they're all still far too small to hide the
fence.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll go with the sweet peas and
runner beans (food, colour and scent - what more can I ask for). I didn't
realise sweet peas grew so tall, because the ones I grow struggle to reach a
foot. Hmm, I just hope that sweet peas are not one of those plants that I
can't grow (aubretia and lily of the valley are the others).

So, when should I sow the sweet pea seeds? I have a greenhouse with a small
heater which keeps it to about 5 degrees. If I plant the seeds directly
into the soil will they grow fast, or is it better to start them off earlier
in the greenhouse?

Also, if I want very dense coverage of the fence, can I plant each sweet pea
just a couple of inches apart?

Thanks.

In article ,
nambucca wrote:
Honeysuckles usually get going pretty quickly

They take a few years to flower if started from seed.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 13:49:40 -0000, "Mel" wrote:

~My newish fence desperately needs to be clothed in greenery. I've planted
~hardy wall shrubs such as pyracantha, quince, ceonanthus, jasmine,
~passiflora and clematis, but they're all still far too small to hide the
~fence.
~
~So, in the meantime I want mega-fast-growing plants to cover the fence this
~year.
~
~I'll be growing the plants from seeds, so I don't mind if they're annual. I
~prefer pink, purple or blue flowery things.
~
~I've chosen some fairly unusual, tender seeds, so can anyone tell me if
~these plants will (a) cover my fence this year and (b) even grow here in NW
~England?
~
~Rhodochiton
~Billardiera
~Akebia
~Asarina
~Eccremocarpus
~Cobaea
~Ipomea

I can only comment on Eccremocarpus and Cobaea.

The former I grew from seed and by the end of last year were a couple
of feet high, though I suspect they'd have been much better had I
actually planted them out before the dry spell!

Much to my surprise they have not so far either lost their leaves or
died back, and so I now have a nice evergreen amongst my bare clematis
stems. And it's still growing. But I'm in the Chilterns...

Cobaea is nuts. I've never found anything to rival it for sheer
coverage of fence panels. Yes it does get clobbered by frost, but
you'll definitely have no fence showing for the summer, while any more
perennial plants get going. I have nowhere to grow it now, having
managed what you are trying to achieve! (And if you grow it early
enough it's possible to get the silly thing to flower, but where you
are, probably not).

I have now managed to cover three panels (and half of next door's
pyracantha) with a clematis montana. I suspect in places it's the only
thing holding up that fence...

I grew runner beans up the fence one year, too. They worked!

Do beware of what the fence is coated with, as mine were bought
creosoted (much to my disgust when I found out) and couldn't get much
to grow for the first two years until enough had leached out. Now you
can't buy it, so it may not be as bad.

Oh, if you want another recommendation of a crazy grower, try clematis
tangutica. It has the advantage of growing each year from ground
level, an you can leave the stems on during winter, but it does mean
if you need to replace the panel, you cut it down first and the plant
comes back. And it outgrows the cobaea... flowers bright yellow (not
really what you want) but lovely winter seed heads, and totally mental
growth. It tried to smother the shed next to the fence last year!

I have to get the shears out in about August to keep it from taking
over the clothes line...


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 13:49:40 -0000, "Mel" wrote:

~My newish fence desperately needs to be clothed in greenery. I've planted
~hardy wall shrubs such as pyracantha, quince, ceonanthus, jasmine,
~passiflora and clematis, but they're all still far too small to hide the
~fence.
~
~So, in the meantime I want mega-fast-growing plants to cover the fence this
~year.
~
~I'll be growing the plants from seeds, so I don't mind if they're annual. I
~prefer pink, purple or blue flowery things.
~
~I've chosen some fairly unusual, tender seeds, so can anyone tell me if
~these plants will (a) cover my fence this year and (b) even grow here in NW
~England?
~
~Rhodochiton
~Billardiera
~Akebia
~Asarina
~Eccremocarpus
~Cobaea
~Ipomea

I can only comment on Eccremocarpus and Cobaea.

The former I grew from seed and by the end of last year were a couple
of feet high, though I suspect they'd have been much better had I
actually planted them out before the dry spell!

Much to my surprise they have not so far either lost their leaves or
died back, and so I now have a nice evergreen amongst my bare clematis
stems. And it's still growing. But I'm in the Chilterns...

Cobaea is nuts. I've never found anything to rival it for sheer
coverage of fence panels. Yes it does get clobbered by frost, but
you'll definitely have no fence showing for the summer, while any more
perennial plants get going. I have nowhere to grow it now, having
managed what you are trying to achieve! (And if you grow it early
enough it's possible to get the silly thing to flower, but where you
are, probably not).

I have now managed to cover three panels (and half of next door's
pyracantha) with a clematis montana. I suspect in places it's the only
thing holding up that fence...

I grew runner beans up the fence one year, too. They worked!

Do beware of what the fence is coated with, as mine were bought
creosoted (much to my disgust when I found out) and couldn't get much
to grow for the first two years until enough had leached out. Now you
can't buy it, so it may not be as bad.

Oh, if you want another recommendation of a crazy grower, try clematis
tangutica. It has the advantage of growing each year from ground
level, an you can leave the stems on during winter, but it does mean
if you need to replace the panel, you cut it down first and the plant
comes back. And it outgrows the cobaea... flowers bright yellow (not
really what you want) but lovely winter seed heads, and totally mental
growth. It tried to smother the shed next to the fence last year!

I have to get the shears out in about August to keep it from taking
over the clothes line...


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 23:19:22 -0000, Mel wrote:

...I think I'll go with the sweet peas and
runner beans (food, colour and scent - what more can I ask for).

I suggest you add edible-pod peas to the mix. I think it's
'Oregon Sugarpod' that grows to a surprising size and has an
enormous yield. Blanch them and freeze them, and you'll have some
very pleasant meals in the depths of next winter.

BTW, if you grow sugarpod peas, you have to pick them very often
so they are young and tender.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 23:19:22 -0000, Mel wrote:

...I think I'll go with the sweet peas and
runner beans (food, colour and scent - what more can I ask for).

I suggest you add edible-pod peas to the mix. I think it's
'Oregon Sugarpod' that grows to a surprising size and has an
enormous yield. Blanch them and freeze them, and you'll have some
very pleasant meals in the depths of next winter.

BTW, if you grow sugarpod peas, you have to pick them very often
so they are young and tender.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
[change "atlantic" to "pacific" and
"invalid" to "net" to reply by email]

"David Hill" wrote in a message:
Why not plant a mix of Runner beans and sweet peas, plenty of colour,
useful
crop and fast cover.
And not expensive.
---
For the first time last year, I grew Morning Glory, 'Star of Yelta' and
'Cardinal Climber' with my Runner beans. The extra support from the MGs
enabled the beans to go mad and produce a splendid crop. I'll certainly do
the same this year.

Mike Crossland

The message
from "Mel" contains these words:

"Mel" wrote:
My newish fence desperately needs to be clothed in greenery. I've planted
hardy wall shrubs such as pyracantha, quince, ceonanthus, jasmine,
passiflora and clematis, but they're all still far too small to hide the
fence.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll go with the sweet peas and
runner beans (food, colour and scent - what more can I ask for). I didn't
realise sweet peas grew so tall, because the ones I grow struggle to reach a
foot. Hmm, I just hope that sweet peas are not one of those plants that I
can't grow (aubretia and lily of the valley are the others).

So, when should I sow the sweet pea seeds? I have a greenhouse with a small
heater which keeps it to about 5 degrees. If I plant the seeds directly
into the soil will they grow fast, or is it better to start them off earlier
in the greenhouse?

Heated greenhouse. Get em in now i`d say.

Also, if I want very dense coverage of the fence, can I plant each sweet pea
just a couple of inches apart?

Thanks.

That would be very dense indeed!!!! Nice display though.

The message
from "Mel" contains these words:

"Mel" wrote:
My newish fence desperately needs to be clothed in greenery. I've planted
hardy wall shrubs such as pyracantha, quince, ceonanthus, jasmine,
passiflora and clematis, but they're all still far too small to hide the
fence.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll go with the sweet peas and
runner beans (food, colour and scent - what more can I ask for). I didn't
realise sweet peas grew so tall, because the ones I grow struggle to reach a
foot. Hmm, I just hope that sweet peas are not one of those plants that I
can't grow (aubretia and lily of the valley are the others).

So, when should I sow the sweet pea seeds? I have a greenhouse with a small
heater which keeps it to about 5 degrees. If I plant the seeds directly
into the soil will they grow fast, or is it better to start them off earlier
in the greenhouse?

Heated greenhouse. Get em in now i`d say.

Also, if I want very dense coverage of the fence, can I plant each sweet pea
just a couple of inches apart?

Thanks.

That would be very dense indeed!!!! Nice display though.

"........So, when should I sow the sweet pea seeds? I have a greenhouse
with a small heater which keeps it to about 5 degrees. If I plant the seeds
directly into the soil will they grow fast, or is it better to start them
off earlier in the greenhouse?...."

I would sow the sweet peas now keeping them cool, once they have made 3 or 4
leaves pinch the tops out to make them bush and grow them on cold.
When you plant them out plant them about a foot apart, with a runner bean
between each plant, this will give you quite a thick cover and will also
give you a reasonable crop of beans.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

"........So, when should I sow the sweet pea seeds? I have a greenhouse
with a small heater which keeps it to about 5 degrees. If I plant the seeds
directly into the soil will they grow fast, or is it better to start them
off earlier in the greenhouse?...."

I would sow the sweet peas now keeping them cool, once they have made 3 or 4
leaves pinch the tops out to make them bush and grow them on cold.
When you plant them out plant them about a foot apart, with a runner bean
between each plant, this will give you quite a thick cover and will also
give you a reasonable crop of beans.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 13:49:40 -0000, "Mel" wrote:

I'll be growing the plants from seeds, so I don't mind if they're annual. I
prefer pink, purple or blue flowery things.

In that case, if you are grpwing runner beans, go for white-seeded
ones such as Desiree.

Pam in Bristol

Pam
have some things to send you, have lost your address.
Hade emailed you but no reply.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Pam
have some things to send you, have lost your address.
Hade emailed you but no reply.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk