To Creep or not to Creep

Hello, I have a large 2 storey home with vinyl siding, we have 3 grape plants that love this South facing wall and are growing like crazy. They have been in this spot for 3 years now and I was not too sure how I wanted them to grow.

I stepped back to look at this giant bare wall and figured maybe I could get the grapes to grow up and cover this wall. Before I went and did something crazy I though maybe I'd see what you all had to say.

Should I let these grapes grow up and cover the vinyl siding on our house or will it wreck the siding? The other question is I really didn't want to attach anything permanent to the side of the house and make holes in the vinyl siding which would also stop the vinyl siding from expanding and contracting, so my thoughts were to run guy wires from the eves to the ground and add 4x8 pressure treated trellis with 1x1 side posts attach it to the wire and then string the grapes on to it, as it got larger and grew higher I would just add more trellis and up it would go.

From all the people with great wisdom and grape growing knowledge.... What say you? :)

Shawn
Carstairs, Alberta, Canada

 

Go for it! You won't damage your siding; and the trellis idea is great. I grew Concorde grapes in Edmonton, and trained them to grow up the wall and onto the roof.

The only drawback is that you might eventually need a ladder to harvest the fruit...

 

Great idea you have just given me an answer to a vine problem I have.

Liz

 

If the wall below the vinyl is concrete you could put in anchors and spacers and then bolt on vertical 4x4 trellis supports that wouldn't necessarily have to go all the way to the eaves. The spacers would keep the vertical supports clear of the wall.

Ralph

 

Grapes are really heavy.

I'd suggest some type of arbour that stand just out from the wall. It can be quite tall but should be made of posts set in concrete - anchors near the top with spacers as Ralph suggests but don't rely on wall anchors for your strength.

I have the occasional clematis (large flowered - I think the montana types would be too much competition with the grapes) interplanted with my grapes and they make a pretty companion.

WCG