North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Richard Moyer" <ramoyer@gmail.com>]

Tony,

The west wall of our bedroom is over stucco/cinderblock and we could feel the summer heat in that room compared to other rooms.  Following the lead of growers in nearby Shady Valley, we put in grapevines, built a bamboo trellis about 8" out from the wall, and now have shade on the wall in the heat of the day.  In late fall we then prune the excess grapevines away to the canes we want for next year, and get sun on the wall in the winter.

In Shady Valley and other locations, have seen grapevines 30 ft up the sides of barns and also under the eaves of barns and houses, all 4 sides of the structures from 1-2 vines.  Folks in these wet/foggy locations get quality fruit under the eaves that stays dry all season.

 

So there may be some grapes or muscadines you can put in the ground, train up the 15 ft then on a trellis, to do the trick.  Could do the half whiskey barrels in the interim, but unless you do some type of irrigation, will keep you busy watering them in your heat.

 

Richard Moyer

East TN