Viewing post #802818 by vitrsna

Thank you Tom @TomPNW for sharing your good ideas. You know i had vines that were still in their germination pots and i thought i'd better go up to Home Depot and buy some supports, like some kind of arbor or arch. I needed something more than a trellis (one of the vines was a Passiflora). I was so clueless! It never occurred to me that i couldn't buy anything ready made to just walk out the door with So then i had to get creative. I tried a variety of ways of making a good support, i did purchase 5 6' tee posts (for the frame) ,and was going to get some cyclone fencing, and then i wasn't sure what i was going to do I tried making things from pvc pipe, and jute, and all the other things that would not disintegrate or be eaten in my environment. I thought about chicken wire too but that stuff is so lethal with sharp points sticking out everywhere. And i didn't want to see my butterflies impaled on the support so gave up on that idea. I didn't really have time to deal with this properly. I found (at Home Depot) some 8' long steel shelving that was part of some modular unit that i used with some success for a few years. Then i went down to my friendly neighborhood iron working shop and had them make me a proper arch (not without a lot of drama from the diva welder during the process). I did see the article about the masonry ladders and this appeals to me and i think i could do it easily, but i haven't found the ladders yet. They must be somewhere and i am keeping that option in mind. Right now the vines are doing well, but i always have my eyes open for new possibilities...a like to browse the plumbing section...i have found some good and inexpensive things that work well in the garden, plant supports for example. It's really nice to have people to bounce some ideas around with. ATP is such a super place.