Covering chicken run with vines??

Baumshell28

Songster
Apr 16, 2020
265
799
176
Gonzales (Baton Rouge), Louisiana
I live in Louisiana and my chicken run is 100% enclosed in one type of metal fencing or another (2” x 4” fencing, some chicken wire & some hardware cloth). There are some wild vines already growing on the fencing. Also, one side has wild blackberry vines. I’d like to encourage more blackberries, but id also like to find a climbing vine to plant & hopefully let it grow over most of the fencing. I like the shade coverage that the vines would provide, but...I would also like something that grows easily in Louisiana and could also serve as a treat/fruit source like the blackberries do. I was thinking some type of grape or muscadine, but am absolutely & completely inept when it comes to choosing good plants and really need something that just wants to grow, climb & vine as far as it can without having to continually fuss over it.
Anyone have suggestions for something that will grow & climb over large areas, provide some type of fruit or cute (safe) flower, that will be easy to take care of and feel quite at home in hot, humid Louisiana??
This the run in question: I would like for something to climb up the side, but mostly grow to provide something along the line of a living roof:
55470244-A28C-4C7D-B807-1696D67604D6.jpeg
 
Without a ridge beam/pole hooking the peak framing together and then something supporting that beam all in he way to the ground I would discourage vines for a few reasons.....

The weight of the vines can collapse the entire structure.
The vines will catch the wind and rip the he structure apart.

If you want to have vines the run roof structure needs beefed up in my opinion.

As to type of vine I am in quite a different climate so am of no help there.
 
Won't produce any edible fruits, but hops vines will grow like crazy....15' or more in a single season in good conditions. Plus, your run will smell like beer (or maybe chickeny-beer).
That sounds Yummy! But I didn’t give much thought about the dangers until 21 Hens made a good point about weight & structurally reinforcing the “roof”. Do you know if they’re a particularly heavy vine plant? Do they flower?
 
I live in Louisiana and my chicken run is 100% enclosed in one type of metal fencing or another (2” x 4” fencing, some chicken wire & some hardware cloth). There are some wild vines already growing on the fencing. Also, one side has wild blackberry vines. I’d like to encourage more blackberries, but id also like to find a climbing vine to plant & hopefully let it grow over most of the fencing. I like the shade coverage that the vines would provide, but...I would also like something that grows easily in Louisiana and could also serve as a treat/fruit source like the blackberries do. I was thinking some type of grape or muscadine, but am absolutely & completely inept when it comes to choosing good plants and really need something that just wants to grow, climb & vine as far as it can without having to continually fuss over it.
Anyone have suggestions for something that will grow & climb over large areas, provide some type of fruit or cute (safe) flower, that will be easy to take care of and feel quite at home in hot, humid Louisiana??
This the run in question: I would like for something to climb up the side, but mostly grow to provide something along the line of a living roof:
View attachment 2413341
I have muscadine started on mine and it's grown three vines in 4 months.i pulled up the sprout from my carrots and it seems happy with it's new home.Central Texas seems like muscadine central with vines everywhere here.
 
If you want short-lived vines (just one year, or part of one year) then peas, beans, cucumbers, and squash all have edible leaves, make flowers, and make some kind of fruit/produce; and each of them has some varieties that grow long vines. I think they all grow quickly and easily from seeds too, and the seeds are fairly large and easy to handle.

For longer-lived vines, I think grapes sound like a good choice.
(The blackberries you have sound good too, but you already know that :D )
 
I plant pole beans along my run every year. They grow fast, provide beans for us. Of course they die back each fall.
 
That sounds Yummy! But I didn’t give much thought about the dangers until 21 Hens made a good point about weight & structurally reinforcing the “roof”. Do you know if they’re a particularly heavy vine plant? Do they flower?

They are relatively light. When I was growing them I’d have 3-4 vines held up by three wires hung between some posts.

The flower of the plant is actually the hop cone, which is used in beer-making to bring bitterness (think pale ale or IPA).

Hops grow from a small root section. Should be able to find them online and research which varieties grow well in your region.
 

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