Gargantuan Beauty Privacy Concerns

[senorpeaches]

greetings from northern california, I'm a very low-tech home grower enthusiast, just 2 ladies on my deck which is what I've done most years. This year, I have a lady who is by-far the tallest I have ever had the pleasure to grow. Must be 6 1/2 ft so far and the flowers are just beginning to show so I'm getting extremely excited yet ehrm.. nervous about just how tall she could get. I've put portable bamboo screens around my deck this year, and brought some greenery that is bushy etc.. The deck also has an advantage of being very high compared to my neighbors etc.
However due to the height of m'lady, unavoidably the top of the plant is poking out over the bamboo screen. While anyone on my property would be trespassing, still to be respectful of my neighbors I've always valued discretion in my horticultural pursuits and passions. I have an oddball of a neighbor who if standing in one particular part of his driveway could see the plant top.

Could the plant take being (gently) staked down from the top. I have an idea I can just have a pot filled with soil with the stake and bend the top (and tie it down) to this stake to not have the top so.. visible. Anyone have experience with doing something like this? I am also open to being told I'm being ridiculous . But as I said, I've never had one in my 10 years of living here that has shot up so very very tall.. By comparison it's mate is a delicate geisha of an indica (with much fuller flowers interestingly)

and peace

 

[PrairiePoet]

Yes, you can do that.

Bend her slowly from the top, giving her room to move around. It will bow out being 6 foot tall.

Use something wide against the plant, between the plant and rope/string/wire/whateveryouuse to tie her down. Don't tie it tight around the stalk, give it room to grow and push the tie out.

She will do fine, and some of the lower stalks should now get more direct light (maybe).

 

[senorpeaches]

thank you much for your feedback and thoughts. By something wide, do you mean to 'buffer' the twist tie that I'll use to secure the bend (the bow) to the stake? Against the plant itself? I think I will be trying it, a little hard to think of bending such a gorgeous specimen but it's almost comedic how tall she is getting.

 

[PrairiePoet]

thank you much for your feedback and thoughts. By something wide, do you mean to 'buffer' the twist tie that I'll use to secure the bend (the bow) to the stake? Against the plant itself? I think I will be trying it, a little hard to think of bending such a gorgeous specimen but it's almost comedic how tall she is getting.

Yes, exactly. Like how they support small trees to stand straight. Don't worry about it, just be gentle and slow. Think about dancing and you are doing a dipping your sweetie.....

Also, unlike your sweetie, if she does break, she can be repaired a lot cheaper.

 

[Crookedfinger]

Senorpeaches, Just a thought but why not go get a couple silk flowers and some green twist ties and gently tie them to the plant. People will just think it's a flowering plant. This even works on people who smoke cannabis. I tried it in my house while they were in veg and still not stinky yet. But looking across from a driveway I'd be real surprised if your neighbor noticed.

 

[iminadaze]

thank you much for your feedback and thoughts. By something wide, do you mean to 'buffer' the twist tie that I'll use to secure the bend (the bow) to the stake? Against the plant itself? I think I will be trying it, a little hard to think of bending such a gorgeous specimen but it's almost comedic how tall she is getting.

If I could grow outside I would have trained a plant like that to grow in the shape of a rainbow where the top was slowly over a period of days bent down to the same level as the pot and tied to something easy to move as the plant grows , then all the side branches will grow up into nice tops, and even though the plant stem is 6' the height would maybe be 3 or 4 and look more like a hedge bush with a nicely shaped canopy loaded with tops.

 

[senorpeaches]

Just wanted to say thanks much for the feedback and provide an update:
Aug 3 I bowed m'lady and rather immediately felt alot more .. well, comfortable. She adjusted well immediately. For certain, the tallest plant I have ever had the pleasure of taking care of.
hello iminidaze: I did bow the plant in the shape as you described, and attach an image of what has been happening.

INDEED! This season has been most entertaining to be a part of.

I wanted to share a picture of the top too. Hard to tell perhaps, but the top is about 4 inches tall.

Also a snap of one of her flowers because I'm feeling a bit proud tonight.

thanks for your indulgence.
appreciate this forum alot.

 

[iminadaze]

Oh yes! she is going to be sweet! You have a wild one on your hands there, but I think you tamed her well