Washing Pole ideas please

[Lumpy]

We have 2 unused washing poles. They are concrete with a metal core and 4 sticky out bits at the top for the washing line to be wrapped around.
We can't dig them up as one is sitting directly over an underground drain and I'm worried about the buried concrete ripping up the piping.

So I was thinking (which can be dangerous) about having a go at putting climbers in that might grow along a washing line from post to post.

Any ideas how I might have a go at this?

[roitelet]

Are you thinking annual or pérennial?

[Jay-ell]

How tall are they? Are you looking for annuals it perennials? Flowers, fruit or veg?


You could Tie some stout twine off the four pegs for the climbers to get hold of or to tie them on to. You could peg them out either may pole fashion or twirling them round in both directions. Alternatively you could wrap some mesh around them and secure it to the pins at the top.


Suggestions may be dwarf hops, climbing French/Runner beans, nastursiums, ridge cucumbers, Tromboncino squash, Clematis, honeysuckle, passion flowers, grape vines, even tomatoes

[Jungle Jane]

I'm just wondering,if you twist the washing line either clockwise or anti clockwise does it unscrew from the base thing that's concreted in? That's what mines like,no digging out of concrete? They sound like very good secure posts to support things though. How far apart are each posts/wash lines? Could a trellis or chicken wire stretch between them,should be quite easy to attach?

[Potstubsdustbins]

I think you will find that Lumpy is referring to the old fashioned washing line support. About 4" square reinforced concrete post about 6ft high and usually fixed in a 18" square block of concrete set in the ground.

[Jay-ell]

Lumpy, how far apart are they? Wide enough for. hammock?

[Jay-ell]

Or get a couple of wire loops around the poles at the top attached to Turnbckles. Connect the other ends of the turnbuckles (when loosened) together with a taught steel cable, tighten the turnbuckles and this will give you a nice taught wire to run twine down for sweet peas or other climbers

[Lumpy]

I would prefer perennial rather than annual as it might be less faffing about.

Anything growing up and between them would completely dissect the back garden.

I was thinking about a couple of the Japanese berries such as honey berry




We are just starting ro create a new veggie area so it will be ready for next year.

It's amazing what you can do with old pallets.

p.s the posts are 7ft high and....



goes to Potty for knowing exactly what my posts are.

[Potstubsdustbins]

You could peg out lines from the top part of the post above the steel clothes line supports to any distance you want from the base of the posts. This would give a wigwam effect allowing you to cloak the post with climbing plants. It would also get your plants far enough away from the concrete bases to be in good ground.

As to plant suggestions I leave that to others, what I know about flowers would fit easily on the back of a postage stamp.

[roitelet]

How about wisteria? You could grow it as a standard white one side and purple the other.

[Lumpy]

Ta - I like those ideas - they are bobbling around in my thinking cap as I type

[Jay-ell]

You could fix an electric motor to the top of one then connect a loose rope ( so that it dips down and just touches the ground) between the motors shaft and a swivel on the other post.

Viola - automatic skipping apparatus.

[Lumpy]

Jay - ell that's a brilliant idea but it has I fatal flaw - I'm too old and fat to get both feet off the ground at the same time and if I tried one leg at a time it could cause a very painful injury!

[Bonsai Si]

Clad them in wood and you have the start of an urban pergola?

Drill holes on them and put in some succulents, moss and other types of plants that thrive in stone or walls?

Hanging basket supports?

Get a couple of pallets, chop them up a bit and use the poles as vertical pallet garden supports?

Or just get an angle grinder and dig up around the base a bit so you can get in and cut them down just below the soil level?

[Jay-ell]

Jay - ell that's a brilliant idea but it has I fatal flaw - I'm too old and fat to get both feet off the ground at the same time and if I tried one leg at a time it could cause a very painful injury!

So no jumpy Lumpy getting slumpy

How far apart are the posts? I'm assuming that they are about 6 foot high.