A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Copper Trellis

I had an interesting question come up on my radio show. A listener wanted to know if a copper trellis placed in full sun with a southern exposure would conduct too much heat to grow vines on.

I know a penny laying on the ground will get pretty hot during the summer, but this would be up in the air where it could cool off. Has anyone had any experience themselves?

No experience with them, but if the vine grew
reasonable fast enough, and had leaves that would cover the metal, and stayed so the leaves were first to recieve the sun and shade the metal,
I doubt it would get thattttttttt hot to bother the plant..

And most, fast growing vines, are from Southern areas and should like heat..

I might not grow up a sweet pea on it, as it likes it cooler... but the right vine seems like it would work....

Is the copper trellis standing on it's own,
with good air flow or standing up against say like a building where the building heat would be on the back side of it???????
Very curious....

I think it is right off the side of a house with a southern exposer from what the caller was saying. I suggested to paint a wooden one with copper colored spray paint, just in case. But still interested in anyone elses 1st hand experience.

zone 7a eastern exposure. I use metal but not copper so far so good but it hasn't endured the heat of summer yet. I'll let you know if you are interested.

Thanks TK

Mike...the copper will tarnish and get that nice blue-green cast, and absorb less heat at that point. I have seen lots of wrought iron trellisses, and I'd think the black would be hotter than copper, but vines don't seem to mind.