Growing Climbing Plants In Greenhouses

13th November 2008

Getting plants to grow up your greenhouse walls is indeed an art to behold. Climbing plants can cause greenhouses to become an eye sore if not looked after properly, however if they are cared for correctly they can add beauty and space to your greenhouse.

Make sure that you match your plant to the correct support. Plants can climb the greenhouse in different ways with some requiring vertical support whilst others require horizontal support. Some even require both. Follow this steps and your greenhouse could be filled with breathtaking foliage and a healthy supply of food and plants. The only danger is that if you do not keep your climbing plants trimmed you may become overrun by wild foliage.

There are several types of climbing plants that you can successfully grow in your Gabriel Ash greenhouse - tendrils, twines, scramblers and stickers.

Tendrils

Tendrils are slender with wiry growths that extend about an inch from the stems and curl when they encounter horizontal support, no more than one-quarter inch in diameter. You can also use two inch square netting. Most greenhouse owners use horizontal strings attached to vertical poles.

Examples include passionflowers and passion vines. Ensure that you train the vines in the direction you wish them to grow otherwise they may occupy any space in your greenhouse and become unmanageable.

Twiners

Twiners include morning glories, Dutchman's pipe, honeysuckle, and clematis. Twiners, especially honeysuckle and wisteria, can grow quite large and need a strong support for their weight.

Twiners have either twining leaves or twining stems that need something vertical to twist and turn around. To help twiners climb, give them a trellis, string, wire, or a post. Just make sure that it is horizontal.

Scramblers

Bougainvillea and rambling roses are examples of scramblers that you can grow in your greenhouse. Since they are unable to climb on their own, they will need to be secured in place with either gardening string or a sturdy wire. Do take care when handling though and watch out for the thorns.

Stickers

Their tendrils come with their own adhesive, which allows them to climb virtually anything. All you will need is to provide additional support other than a vertical structure and they will do the rest of the climbing for you. They include the Boston ivy and the Virginia creeper.

Stem roots like English Ivy are climbing plants but it is best that they are not grown in your Gabriel Ash greenhouse as they can damage the structure. If you must grow them they are preferred outside to allow them free reign.

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