A fence serves many varied purposes. Fences set boundaries. A fence helps prevent dogs from straying into traffic and keeps children safe. The fence can also be used to add a decorative element to any home. If you are thinking about adding details to your home’s fencing, you might want to consider a climbing vine. Climbing vines add color, light and wonderful detail. Before you get a vine and start your journey, there are a few things you’ll want to get done first. You need to make sure the vines you’ve picked out will look fabulous and will not damage the structure of the fence.

The Type of Fence

Like other home structures, fences are also made of different materials. You’ll want to think about the type of fencing you have. You might have a wooden fence, an aluminum fence or one that’s made of vinyl siding. In general, wood is the type of material that is most likely to be damaged by a vine. Vinyl and aluminum siding are less likely to be damaged by the vine. You can still coax vines to grow on the wood fence, but you should be very careful about the kind of vine that you’re choosing.

 

Visit the Plant Nursery

The first place to begin your search is by visiting a plant nursery. Those who run plant stores are experts. They know exactly how to find the right kind of vine for your needs. Keep in mind that a typical plant nursery will not stock invasive plants. They are banned in many states. Staffers do not want to sell items that might damage the owner’s home. Bring a picture of your fence. Ask staffers about their suggestions. They can help you narrow down your choices. They can also help you figure out what kind of weather conditions are right for growing the vine you want.

 

Research Conditions

Different kinds of plants have different needs. They need differing amounts of water and sunlight. Vines also need different types of soil. If you don’t have the right kind of soil, you can always add it and then plant the vines. Keep in mind that some vines grow more slowly but others can grow quickly. Determine which kind of vines will give you the effects you want. You might discover that one vine isn’t going to work in that area but another might have a similar color and detail.

 

Setting it Up

Once you’ve done your homework and narrowed down your choices, you’ll want to start the process of growing those vines. It’s important to examine the vines to make sure there’s nothing you don’t want such as invasive pests that can harm your entire yard. The plantings can be set in front of the fence and then encouraged to grow. You’ll want to make sure they are properly watered. You should also periodically clip the vines that might be getting out of hand and cause damage to the fence.