Help! New to climber -Actinidia kolomikta / kolomikta vine /michurin actinidia??

[Return2thebasic]

I didn't think carefully (a bit tired of the constant planning). So just placed order for this beautiful Actinidia kolomikta climber with Crocus. Only realised in the Care description, it says to "Tie the main stems on to a series of horizontal galvanised wires.".

Our fences shared with the neighbour aren't very strong. I don't think it can take the weight of metal wires.

Does anyone have experience with this climber? Do I have to use galvanised wires?

I sort of gambled to buy it with the assumption that I could keep the size of it small by trimming frequently. Our fence with the neighbour is only about 5 feet high. Is it possible to manage with this climber?

Would be grateful if anyone could give some advice!

It twines but it will need something to twine around eg a trellis or wires. All climbers need support though, even self clinging ones, something to climb.

It is quite fast growing and can get pretty big, much taller than your fence. You can keep it smaller by pruning but it will still need something to support its weight and climb up. It sounds like your fence isn't suitable for climbers, you wanted a shrub, something that doesn't need support? You could add a trellis or something else in front of the fence.

Its not a very heavy plant - ive grown it twice and both times just put some garden wires to tie it on to - its a gorgeous plant!

I use fairly thin wire covered with dark green plastic, attached to vine eyes. This isn't at all heavy, most of mine has lasted over 20 years.

Thank you, everyone. You made me feel it's worth a try...

From your experience, would this climber damage the wooden fences with trapped dampness? Would it be necessary to use a trellis planter to allow airy space?

Can I keep the thickness under 30cm? We have a very narrow garden. (I know, I know. I shouldn't be tempted so easily with climbers in a very narrow garden...)

Mine's also not very heavy and I don't grow it on galvanised wires - it started out with a fairly insubstantial wooden trellis to scramble through (but in the last few years it's had a wisteria to grab onto as well).

It's a beautiful plant, I love it. The pink/white-tipped leaves are so attractive. Incidentally, I was told that cats are madly attracted to it - mine never were, but apparently some can be fiends for chewing it...

If it's not too heavy, I hope the fence can cope supporting. But I also worry about the dampness on fence. Is there any kind of wire net which can be hung on top of the fence with the bottom to be nailed/pinned into the ground at an angle so that some airflow could be allowed between the twines and the fence?

I'm thinking to have some fence post stand in the ground along the edge of the fence and then to nail in trellis netting on the top with the bottom of the netting pinned to the ground in an angle?

In this way, the post will take the weight of the climber, instead of the fence. Also the angled netting would allow some airflow between the climber and the fence?

Or maybe the climber would be so thick that it's impossible to protect the fence from dampness?