Question From: M. Turner - MICHIGAN
Q: Hello, my question regards planting english ivy on a fence arbor. I live in zone 5, outside Detroit, MI. I want an evergreen privacy fence when the ivy matures, that will stay green all winter. English Ivy seems the best pick. I plan to build a freestanding 7' tall fence arbor with 4x4 cedar posts, 8' on center (post = 11' long including buried length), with wire or stainless cable tensioned horizontally between the posts to support the ivy. What is good spacing between the horizontal wires? How closely spaced must each wire be to the wire above or below, in order for the ivy to climb from one wire up to the next? Is 8" between the horizontal cables close enough for the ivy to climb up the arbor? Would 6" between horizontal cables be better? I do not plan to have vertical wires between the 4x4 cedar posts. However, I could suspend trellis cloth with 6" x 6" grid against the horizontal cables, if vertical elements are necessary for the ivy to climb, especially before it is well established. Would this be necessary? Please advise. Thank you for your help. Michael Turner
A:
Michael, I am not a landscape architect, so I cannot answer your questions with any degree of knowledge. I will say that I grew English Ivy when I lived in Grosse Pointe and it never survived the winters when it grew up fences and lattice, which surrounded my yard. To say it did not survive, I mean it died back to the ground. It does however survive on stone and brick walls and trees in zone 6. I also know that ivy does not twine like other vines, it uses hold fast to "Glue itself to surfaces, so the wires will not work. Do a google search for climbing shrubs. One website lists 70. Happy Yardening, Nancy
