# My wisteria aka what to ask for to fix this aka the perils of southern engineering
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 17, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108 "2022-11-17T22:52:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/1 "2022-11-17T22:52:44Z")
I planted a wisteria a few years ago\*, with support to train it into a tree.
The support wasn’t strong enough, so I braced it with angle iron.
A bad wind storm came through and blew the wisteria hard enough to bend the angle iron.
So I put more angle iron bracing on.
That bracing should work, except I’ve been using zip ties to secure them to the other bracing,
I also put up some guy lines but had a hard time making good tight knots. Also there the stakes easy to go in came out in a stiff breeze. And the ones that held (yard screws) I could only get into certain areas (tree roots interfered)
Problem is, besides not being good with knots, I am not very strong, especially limited hand strength.
So. I need a way to join two angle irons securely, if they’re several inches apart, and something to help me screw a couple of yard screws in, and something that helps me tighten guy lines.
\*not next to the house!
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2022, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/2 "2022-11-17T23:00:27Z")
Baling wire.
Drill holes in the angle iron, connect with wire.
As for tightening guy lines, there is a specific device exactly for that - a turnbuckle.
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### Author:  [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2022, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/3 "2022-11-17T23:12:22Z")
When I decided to plant a wisteria, I built a sort of pergola, about 6’ high, and about 7’ end to end, with 4x4 posts anchored 2’ deep, 2x6 rails notched into the posts along each side, and 2x4 cross-pieces every 16" along the length. It’s only been maybe 5 or 6 years, and the beast isn’t growing very fast, so thus far that has been strong enough. Sorry, not what you’re asking, but I’m fairly proud of this construction, even though in San Francisco it’s really not the right climate for wisteria.
Is there any chance of getting anyone stronger to help you? The reason I ask is that, if you were to drive some angle iron far enough into the ground as the basis for the structure, you would need less of that other bracing etc. and the result would probably be more pleasing esthetically. With one of these (fence post driver\*) a person of average strength could probably drive the posts down far enough. It’s a hollow tube that weighs 13 lbs, you slip it over the vertical angle iron, lift it by the handles and then slam it down as hard as you can, repeatedly. (Of course, if you are putting angle iron in the ground, you need to use something treated for that purpose, like a fence post, or it will just rust away into nothing before you know it.) You might be able to rent one, rather than buying.
\*see below
> **[Fence Post Driver T Post Driver with Handle 13 lb.: Amazon.com: Tools & Home...](https://www.amazon.com/Fence-Post-Driver-Handle-lb/dp/B09JG4W9C4)**
>
> Fence Post Driver T Post Driver with Handle 13 lb.: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement
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### Author:  [@Keith1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keith1)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2022, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/4 "2022-11-18T02:59:28Z")
After climbing onto the pergola year after year to cut back my wisteria I finally took my chainsaw to the trunk(s) this fall. The vines would grow 5-10ft each year into a tangled mess. Nothing but a huge pain in the ass and I’m fortunate not to have fallen off the pergola & broken a leg. My only regret is for the big bumblebees that liked it for the week or so the flowers lasted. I’ll plant more ground level plants for the bees - the only insect I like.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/5 "2022-11-19T12:42:00Z")
As far as your knots and tying goes, what your looking for is called a truckers hitch. [How to Tie a Truckers' Hitch - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W86XNUmElP4)
It’s a great way to put tension on a rope. Very easy to do. And very handy to know for tying down loads.
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2022, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/6 "2022-11-19T12:57:17Z")
You won’t get a “tree” out of wisteria. It’s a vine. I’d opt for a pergola, or avoid the stuff.
One of my neighbors has trained it up the support brace for a street pole, which worked remarkably well.
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2022, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/7 "2022-11-19T15:33:58Z")
So I’m getting the sense that the wisteria my mom planted a decade ago that just neatly, politely climbs a tree is an arberratation?
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/8 "2022-11-19T16:16:35Z")
No, it’s a vine. That’s what it wants to do. At some point it may get large enough to shade out the tree and kill it, and it may be dropping viable seeds that will grow up nearby trees. It can be invasive. But it’s fairly common for it to quietly grow up trees.
People often plant it on a pergola to better enjoy the flowers. It also casts a pleasant shade under the pergola, once it’s established.
But you can’t really get it to form it’s own, unsupported, tree shape.
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### Author:  [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-wisteria-aka-what-to-ask-for-to-fix-this-aka-the-perils-of-southern-engineering/975108/9 "2022-11-19T18:08:51Z")
I should have said tree form. And yes, it’s possible
> **[Wisteria - Tree Form](https://www.fast-growing-trees.com/products/wisteria-tree)**
>
> A New Twist on an Old Favorite
> Why Wisteria Trees?
> Unlike other Wisteria varieties, this one-of-a-kind Wisteria Tree delivers the color and whimsical blooms you love - in a more manageable size! Wisteria is known to grow to colossal heights in warm...