need ideas: extremely fast-growing, tall screen

Hello, I'm very glad to have found this forum. We have a temporary gardening challenge — we need to grow a fairly tall screen, and fast! It doesn't necessarily need to be dense...I'll try to explain:
Our property sits above what is normally an open field (baseball) for a high school. They are rebuilding the school & have brought in portables on the field for the transition. In anticipation of this, last September I planted clumping bamboo at the very bottom of our hill (~12' below the grade of our house). I hoped this would be sufficient to provide privacy during the 2+ years the temporary campus will exist. However, 1.) I didn't anticipate bright glaring roofs of the portables in the morning sun, and 2.) the bamboo have not grown enough.

To clarify, there are two problems we're trying to counter: the glare of the roofs, and privacy (there will be 1400 teenagers virtually in our backyard during school hours beginning in the fall). It seems there are two options:
a) an approximate 18' tall (X 25' wide) screen at the bottom of the hill, in the form of an extremely vigorous vine, or
b) multiple upright plantings on the hill of perrenials, shrubs, annuals (?) with heights varying from 10' - 16', depending on how far up they are planted (the further down the better because space is a concern).

The vine idea is a little perplexing because there is no existing structure to support it. The bottom of the hill is owned by the city — there is an existing 6' chain link fence, and school architects opined that no one would care if we drove several 20' poles into the ground (tied to the existing fence poles) and strung across some bailing wire for a vine to grow up...not even sure if that would work though.

1. Does anyone have ideas how to create a support for such a tall vine (18')...especially considering it will probably come down in a few years (at which point we could let the vine droop over the 6' fence?)

2. I keep hearing there are vines that grow 25' in one season. Is it really true, and if so, which ones? We are in the San Francisco Bay Area...most anything will grow here -- no freezing in the winter, very mild summers.

I realize I'm asking a lot because the time period is but a few months (school starts in September) and I don't expect perfection, but I know the right plants are out there, if I can just figure out which ones! I am willing to water and feed religiously. The hill is full sun...deer are a concern...otherwise anything goes...temporary or permanent...

Thank you SO much for your time and wisdom!
Melanie

Normally all vines need time to get established, so you won't have the type of coverage you are looking for immediately with any type of vine, except the dreaded morning glory... that grows really fast and reseeds everywhere.

I have some English Ivy that has just covered a chainlink fence and it grows really fast, I understand that rats like Ivy too and it is hard to get rid of, so that may not be a good choice either. You would have to get some good sized (at least five gallon containers of any vine) to get the kind of coverage you want and that fast. It will cost a small fortune to do that.

When we moved here, I used some green colored mesh shade cloth on several chain link fences till the vines grew in and trees, etc.. both for privacy and to shade my new plants till they got established. You may be able to put some of that in, they also sell it in earthtone colors.

Once your bamboo starts shooting (watch out)... mine also took two years to get itself established with minimal amount of watering and it is really taking off now. IF it is Timber boo, it will do well within the first two years.

One that did grow really fast (one year with lots of watering) is the Variegated Bower vine, you would have to plant them really close together to get faster coverage and they grow quite long. You may be able to see them in this photo climbing up a wooden fence towards an arbor on the other side. Took this photo this morning for another forum, but you can see the vines in the background. I have four vines of that type and another four that I put in this year that are small. These were one gallon pots, but they have them bigger and also they are evergreen (there is the green leafed one also, white flower and one with the pink flower)..

Hi Gourd!
And Howdy neighbor!
Are you speaking of EC high? I thought it was Ka-putt ?
I hear Jasmines devour chain link. what about the honeysuckles or passion vines? Cant the dreaded Morning glory also be a good fix for such a large expanse or once planted is it too late? (i am shaking in fear because i just planted some annual MG)
Gourd that cactus flower is amazing!
A.

Hi Annie, I love your name... it reminds me of Annie Oakely,, AnnieBerkeley.. where do you live. I'm in Moreno Valley.. right off the 60 Fwy and Nason exit.

I have lots of Morning Glories planted also, do not fear if you like them and have the space (we have a couple of acres and really need shade that the vines provide). I love them, but there are several people in more humid climates than mine that it seems that they really germinate all over the yard. Mine do not, it is so hot here that I am lucky they survive at all. I also have the Blue Dawn MG which is really going crazy here, a perrennial mg, it is gorgeous though.

That is cactus is an Orchid cactus/Epiphyllum (sp).. aka Epi's..

hope this info helps.

Hi Gourd, Hi Annie! Yes, El Cerrito High. The old school will be ka-putt, which is why there will be a temporary campus in my "backyard" while they build the new one.

My sister in law suggested silver-lace vine, but they didn't have that at Berkeley Hort...maybe it's an east coast thing. I'll look into the morning glory and other vines you mentioned. But the larger problem is, what is it going to grow up on? Any ideas? The chain link fence is only 6 feet tall. Do you think the idea of 20' poles and bailing wire might work?

I like the idea of the mesh shade cloth Gourd, but it's the same problem, how to secure it... does it come in sections larger than 6 feet? I need to go up 18'.

I do want to stay away from the ivy because you are right, the rats love it.

thanks!!
mel

Hi Mel !
Well I hope EC regulations are less stiff than Berk,because we had a time trying to build a tall fence. Sounds like you need a real fence built from wood or metal stakes able to support any number of available
fencing materials. As I see it the problems are,A)do you have the financial resources and B)Do you need a permit or do you care !
Ohh and Thanks Gourd,I used to feel like a real Annie with braids and freckles ! I am in North Berkeley Near the race track Gourd,REALLY near Berkeley Hort!! LOL
A

This message was edited May 27, 2005 12:14 PM

This message was edited May 27, 2005 12:14 PM

This message was edited May 27, 2005 12:16 PM

What about setting some 20 ft poles into contrete and then using either chicken wire or some type of mesh wire between the poles.. that would let just about any vine climb up.. kind of like a onesided chicken coop..lol..

For quick and thick coverage I think our Florida members would send you bushels of air potatoes. I just mailed all mine to about 6 people wanting to try them. They have large beautiful heart shaped and heavily textured leaves and can grow a foot a day.

Annie — A real fence is unfortunately out of the question because there is an easement. Anything we grow or build on the hill is under threat of removal. However, we (and the neighbors) have been gardening on the hill for years and no one has ever bothered us. The city is probably happy to have the free services. We happily keep the drain/ditch clear at the bottom of the hill for them. But yes, if we put something as tall as 20 feet out there, we may get some slack, or worse, lol. For some reason, school officials didn't think so, but they're not the ones who would have to deal with it.

Nonetheless, Gourd — setting the poles in concrete — that might just work. I'm going to pass that idea on to my better half and see what he thinks. I had just about given up on the vine idea.

Twiggybuds — air potatoes you say...I have never heard of those but they sound perfect...a foot a day! wow! I'm going to look that up right now.

Thanks so much. You are all so kind to help.
Melanie