pot and trellis on a roof

[bacis]

Hello,

What would be the best climbing plant for a roof patio trellis - perennial or annual - in city environment, smog etc......

Many Thanks,

[Eeyore]

Perennials need to be well protected for the winter. Do you have a good spot to protect them from wind and cold?

As for annuals, there are a lot of climbing annual vines. How tall are you looking for?

[bacis]

Perennials - you are right.... no, we probably do not have a good place to protect them. We have a junipers there and we cover them with jute and if there is a a snow we pile it around them.

As for the annuals we had morning glories last year and they did no do well......spotted leaves, yellow leaves....
The spot is exposed to mid afternoon sun and it can get there quite hot...

For the pots we like the portulaca and they love the sun.

Any advice very appreciated.
THANKS

[seacat]

Have you tried sweet peas? they need full sun and might work.

[Lizcordysmum]

Scarlet runner beans? Very showy leaves, and great climbers. We grow them against the garage wall, they get full sun from noon onwards.

[isabelbrinck]

Here's some info on Scarlet Runner Beans. They sound beautiful. I'm planning on adding a trellis for privacy on my new apartment's rooftop terrace (there's a big tower next to me, unfortunately).

http://canada-gardens.com/2scarletrunnerbean.html

[isabelbrinck]

Question: how deeply do scarlet runner beans need to be planted? The biggest planters are really nice... and expensive. If possible, I wouldn't mind saving some money by buying shallower planters, but not if it hampers the growth of my plants...

[B_BQ]

You have a difficult situation.
I like the suggestion of Scarlet Runners. You will have a beautiful scarlet red flower, and as a bonus gorgeous runner beans to eat!
There's also the Hyacinth Bean - that might work.
Good luck!
~BBQ

[evepet]

Question: how deeply do scarlet runner beans need to be planted? The biggest planters are really nice... and expensive. If possible, I wouldn't mind saving some money by buying shallower planters, but not if it hampers the growth of my plants...

I'm growing scarlett runner beans, and also hyacinth pole beans. I've got them in containers and they'll be trained to go up a trellis on either end of my balcony. Scarlett on one end - Hyacinth at the other. The seed packet has planting instructions, but from what I remember you just plant the individual seeds about 1" deep in the soil. I just stuck my finger into the soil, put the seed there, then covered it up. The scarlett runner beans are growing much more quickly than the hyacinth beans, but I'm told that the hyacinth beans will start to really grow once we get more constant heat and humidity. The scarlett runners are already more than 12" high and starting to twine on the trellis. The hyacinth beans are about 6" high at present. I'd post a picture but for some reason I'm having difficulties with that today.

[isabelbrinck]

I finally planted the Scarlet Runner Beans (I know it's "late" but I was moving) and here is our first guy's head sprouting out of the ground! He took 10 days to germinate. Now I'd like to see his neighbours show their heads too...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/isabelbrinck/2587050495/

In the end, we started the beans in shallow planters and I've bought deeper planters for later. Turns out, expensive cedar boxes are not the only options at Home Depot and the long planters I bought are actually close to the same depth as those and a fraction of the price. Phew!