Edit Article

Questions and Answers

Attract the attention of your feathered friends by providing them with a shelter made of vines covered with climbing moonflowers. The large white flowers will spread open at night or on cloudy days and the leaves will provide shade to keep them cool on hot days.

Ad

EditSteps

  1. Image titled Build an Arbor on a Low Budget Step 1
    1
    Wear gloves for protection and scout for vines that hang from trees in the woods. Long, thick straight vines will be your soldiers (poles) as you will walk between them. Semi circle vines will be the ceiling or you can bind two pieces to make a semi circle. Long thinner vines (more flexible) will be around the length of the sides and ceiling of the arbor.
    Ad
  2. Image titled Build an Arbor on a Low Budget Step 2
    2
    Decide on the length and style of the path of your arbor (straight or winding to the right or left)
  3. Image titled Build an Arbor on a Low Budget Step 3
    3
    Grab a post hole digger and dig deep at least 18 inches (45.7 cm) deep to anchor your long, straight vines. Remember, you want your arbor to stand tall and proud in the heavy wind and rain.
  4. Image titled Build an Arbor on a Low Budget Step 4
    4
    Grab a Boy Scouts manual or any book with pictures about knots. You will be using the knot called "lashing" to bind two vines together.
    • On the ground, lay two straight vines to form the sides and grab a semi circle vine for the ceiling of the arbor. Use twine to bind them together. Repeat the steps
  5. Image titled Build an Arbor on a Low Budget Step 5
    5
    Lift the vine structure off the ground and slowly drop both ends in the holes made with the post hole digger and use your feet to move the dirt around them. Tightly pack the dirt by stomping around the vine. Repeat the steps to add length to the arbor.
  6. Image titled Build an Arbor on a Low Budget Step 6
    6
    Tie lashing knots. Using the "lashing knot”, wrap the long thinner vines around the length of the sides of the arbor (top and bottom of the sides).
  7. Image titled Build an Arbor on a Low Budget Step 7
    7
    Bend the thinner vines to fill all the gaps of the arbor on the sides and ceiling. Remember to leave space for the climbing flowers.
    Ad

Questions and Answers

    Don't see your question? Ask it here:
    Submit

    EditTips

    • Add a table and stools made from tree trunks.
    • For the side that receives less sunlight, insert a birdhouse between the gaps of the arbor, and secure it with more twine and vines.
    • Green twine blends better than white.
    • Use a tree trunk as the base for your bird bath and wrap flexible vines around the tree trunk and on one side of the bowl (easier to remove and clean).
    • Add a wood post and bird feeder several feet away from the arbor.
    • To keep the path of the arbor weed free, use grass clippings over newspaper.
    • Kohl’s sold Bird Feeders shaped like a fish with a removable head. Peanut butter keeps the seeds from falling out of the wire mesh body.
    • Use a metal measuring tape to make sure that the holes are 18 inches (45.7 cm) deep.

    EditWarnings

    • Use gloves and long sleeves to protect your skin in case of poison ivy.
    • Add cold water to oatmeal in a small bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes. Squeeze the oatmeal to make the liquid milky and apply to clean skin.

    Article Info

    Categories: Gardening

    Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 7,441 times.

    Did this article help you?