My son is building a lattice work wall by my new deck. It will soon be done. We poured cement in the last post hole this afternoon, and must still mortar the bricks he is putting around the posts to make them last longer. When he has that done, I guess we can replace the soil, and add amendments to it. How long must the cement and mortar cure before I can replant my climbing rose [rosa Queen Elizabeth], and my knock out rose? The lattice work is for the climbing rose and morning glories that I will plant there. I might also add a few other flowers later.
Cement usually hardens in about half a day, and can start to bear some load in 3 days (however in 10 days will it become 100% solid). But when it is curing, it is advisable to keep spraying water on it constantly (as it will harden better this way). All homes over here in my country are made from cement poured in reusable wooden molds that have a steel frame in it (which make the load bearing pillars and beams) - On of this the roofs are laid (also of cement that has a steel scaffold in it for strength). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otHaoUB65NM We really don't make homes out of wood here (which I assume is the case in north America, Europe, and Russia, as wood is plentiful there). But for us, to use wood as a construction material will be too costly! Anyway, it takes cement/concrete to harden in 3 days, while peak hardness will be attained in 10 days. But it has to be kept wet constantly, or it will not harden evenly (and so may develop ugly looking settling cracks, thus becoming unfit to bear load also)...
I can wet it down part of the time, but do not have a way to do it constantly. However, it will not be bearing a lot of weight, as it is a free standing lattice work wall, and somewhat light in weight. I guess when wood is not available freely, you have to use what is handy. In our southwest, people use adobe which is mud bricks. It works nicely.
We here keep vertical structures of cement wet by wrapping them with a thick cloth, and water it once in a few hours (or attach it some type of a slow drip system) - That way it stays wet 24/7... But since this is not a load bearing structure, I guess splashing water on it a few times a day will also be fine. So I'm sure it'll turn out OK. Just give it 3 to 4 days to set, and you're done! Another great idea for extra strength is to use Ferrocement (see video). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Ym1IkLTKM And to set it faster, I think you can add a little Sodium Bi-Carbonate [NaHCO3] - Which is Baking Powder actually. But the price you pay for a quicker setting time, is that the cement is not as strong. So this is done only when you need to plaster vertical walls (and so don't want the plaster falling off the walls before it sets). So this is just cosmetic, not exactly load bearing. By the way, a great climber that also gives stunning blue colored flowers (that I myself have also used on a latticework) - Is Butterfly Pea, also known as Clitoria Ternatea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clitoria_ternatea Butterfly Pea ( photo / image / picture from S-H's Garden )
Your butterfly pea is lovely! I never heard of that one before. More Morning Glories ( photo / image / picture from AAnightowl's Garden ) I will be planting these morning glories on my latticework wall when it is done. These come back every year/self seed. This is another lattice panel in my yard. I will post a picture of my new wall when it is finished.
Wonderful! But how do you propagate the Morning Glory? Anyway, wan to exchange seeds? Butterfly Pea for Morning Glory!
Sure. I have extra seeds from my morning glories. I would love some seed from your butterfly peas. Morning glories propigate by seed. These reseed themselves every year. Is Pakistan tropical? If you do not have winter, they may just keep on going ? I have some of last year's seed at the moment which is just fine, or I could get you some of this years later. This year's flowers have not yet set seeds. I always collect some seeds from them, but they also drop seeds where you have them growing, and should come back every year. Do your butterfly peas need anything special ?
Both plants are beautiful...I do love the beautiful blue in the Butterfly pea...and it does look like a butterfly. S-H....good advice on the cement. I agree.
You know, Butterfly Pea also propagates in exactly the same way, and in the same tropical or semitropical environment, by seeds (and some say by cuttings too). In my area however, they last for the entire year, while elsewhere up north they dry out in Winter, but once more sprout up from fallen seeds at the onset of Spring. Another advantage of the Butterfly Pea is that they seem to inject a lot nitrogen into the soil, and so are a bit self fertilizing in this sense. Hence their need for fertilizer in soil is minimal - In fact soil that has otherwise been totally spent, can actually be revived by planting Butterfly Pea in it for one season. Butterfly Pea's fruit (the black colored beans) I myself have never eaten, but people say that it is edible - In fact the flowers (when crushed) also make a very strong and totally safe blue food color too! Thanks Sherry8.
