URBAN HEDGES PART THREE-B KIWI VINES

Welcome to part three-B of my series on urban hedges, which, as you may know by now, is a term I coined when I was devising ways to attain privacy in my NYC garden, a garden that is in close proximity to neighbors to the east and west of me, as well as directly north.
In part one of this series I discussed a few types of shelving as an urban hedge option; while in part two I discussed the use of objects (as planters filled with lush flora), passion vine and building a bamboo trellis, as options for creating an urban hedge. And in part three-A, I discussed the role of kiwi vines in my urban hedge system!
This entry (part three-B) is the conclusion of the role of my kiwi vines as an urban hedge, and I hope that you, dear reader, will benefit from how I dealt with some of the scenarios that occurred as a result of my choice to have kiwi vines be an urban hedge!
If you are following this series, then you know that I ended my previous entry with a "story" of painting my kiwi vines' new "digs" (container) while they were in it, which, fortunately, did not affect their ability to thrive!
This is evident in image number one of this posting. Re the photo, the orange arrow on the "floor" indicates the kiwis' just painted digs. The yellow double sided arrow ® indicates the kiwis' continued ability to thrive, growing north and south on the eastern rail. And the double sided red arrow (back of image) indicates the kiwi vines beginning to turn the corner, and travel along the northern rail of my terrace.
Unfortunately, the kiwis' lush foliage was short lived, for while it survived a major transplant (as described @ http://www.hometalk.com/diy/grow/landscaping/urbam-hedges-part-three-a-kiwi-vnes-1864585), shortly thereafter, it succumbed to an attack of mildew, and nearly lost all its leaves as seen in image two!
In image two, the kiwis' digs are indicated by a single sided arrow. The red square (to the right) indicates the kiwis' bare branches after losing their leaves to mildew) but the double-sided arrow (back of image) shows that in spite of their trauma, the kiwis were producing new foliage as they moved along the northern rail of my terrace!
But the kiwis losing their leaves did not stop my visiting birds from alighting upon their branches (as seen in images three through eleven) or alighting atop their container (images twelve-fourteen), during the remainder of the season, which is something that probably encouraged these awesome vines (who were working so hard in their role of providing an urban hedge)!
And if indeed it was being alighted upon by an array of visiting birds that provided the kiwi vines with a will to grow, they certainly needed it! For a few months after their transplant and mildew traumas, I had to uproot them COMPLETELY and put them in a BODY BAG which was secured to my railing! (Photos fifteen through seventeen.)
This was because my landlord wanted to repair the interlocking tiles that are my garden's floor, and this type of renovation as well as garden upheaval is a common one for city dwellers with roof extension gardens or terraces.
The story of how I prepped my garden for this might be useful to HT readers and it can be found @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2012/09/ta-da-ive-put-square-peg-in-round-hole.html
And I may post about the logistics of this "renovation" prep work at some point, but because this post is about my kiwi vines serving as an urban hedge, I'll leave it the "story" for another day, but not before saying, having kiwi vines for an urban hedge is not for the faint of heart or physical strength!
However, they are worthy of ALL LABOR, as you may surmise from image eighteen, where the superimposed numbers show their now (as of this posting) LUSH path around my terraces railing!
What an awesome urban hedge kiwi vines make, don't you agree?
Image featured with a "story" on TLLG's Blogger pages @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2013/01/another-year-over-and-new-one-just_10.html
A "story" re this image can be found within TLLG's Blogger Pages @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2013/01/another-year-over-and-new-one-just_13.html
Finches contemplate atop the kiwis bare branches! INFO on these sweet birds @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Finches
Mourning dove uses the kiwis' branches as a LAUNCHING PAD @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2012/10/if-its-tuesday-it-must-be-tumblr-week.html#more
This sweet house finch was featured on TLLG's FB Page with some info re her agenda @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=420979487951430&set=pb.247917655257615.-2207520000.1374445768.&type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-e-a.aka
Featured within a "story" on TLLG's Blogger pages @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2012_11_01_archive.html
Cam has a quiet moment atop my kiwis nearly bare branches @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=422725554443490&set=a.355589574490422.73015.247917655257615&type=3&theater
A lone white-breasted sparrow enjoys the kiwis' branches (view one), despite the struggling foliage (which is usually a brilliant yellow in the fall)! Bird Info @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/White%20Breasted%20Sparr
A lone white-breasted sparrow enjoys the kiwis' branches (view two), despite the struggling foliage (which is usually a brilliant yellow in the fall)! Bird Info @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/White%20Breasted%20Sparr
A lone chickadee is undaunted by the kiwis loss of foliage. (View One.) Bird info @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Chickadees
A lone chickadee is undaunted by the kiwis loss of foliage. (View Two.) Bird info @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Chickadees
Mac doing his aerobics in the kiwi vine's home! Image featured @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=430213360361376&set=a.355589574490422.73015.247917655257615&type=3&theater
Dark-eyed junco enjoying a quiet moment with the kiwi vines (view one). Bird info @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2013/03/waiting-for-spring.html
Dark-eyed junco enjoying a quiet moment with the kiwi vines (view two). Bird info @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2013/03/waiting-for-spring.html
Kiwi Vines (View One) in a body bag to clear the way for a major repair @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2012/09/ta-da-ive-put-square-peg-in-round-hole.html
Kiwi Vines (View Two) in a body bag (Yellow Circle) to clear the way for a major repair @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2012/09/ta-da-ive-put-square-peg-in-round-hole.html
Kiwi Vines (View Three) in a body bag to clear the way for a major repair (@ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2012/09/ta-da-ive-put-square-peg-in-round-hole.html) as a lone mourning dove assess the situation.
Kiwi Vines info @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/search/label/Actinida%20kolomikta%20and%20Actimida%20%28Kiwi%20Vines%29 AS WELL AS @ http://thelastleafgardener.tumblr.com/search/kiwi+vines
TheLastLeafGardener
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Deb Deb on Jul 05, 2017

    Hi. Just viewed your amazing urban garden, however I have never heard of kiwi vines. Where would I purchase them or can one purchase seeds?

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