Landscaping With Mesh Rope

Types of Mesh Rope

• The best type of rope mesh depends on your landscape plans. For most applications, stainless steel or galvanized steel mesh works best because it can withstand the elements without rust or damage. Nylon or fiber mesh is sometimes used for trellising, while jute fibers provide a suitable option for anchoring a slope against erosion. Baling wire, wire crimps or connectors are also sometimes necessary, depending on the application. Avoid plastic clips and connectors when possible, because these may weaken or break over time, and thus aren't suitable for landscape use.

Fencing Options

• Rope mesh, especially the metal meshes, provide a sturdy choice for landscape fencing. You can simply use the mesh to keep animals, either pets or wild, out of gardens or the yard, or you can create decorative low fences to border in garden beds or landscape features. The height and type of fence depends on your needs. If small burrowing pests like rabbits and gophers are a problem, bury the bottom 12 inches of the mesh underground and allow the remainder to stand as a fence. Deer require a higher fence, preferably tilted forward so they can't jump it. Wood or wrought iron posts can add a decorative element to the fence, including low border fences or tall fences enclosing a yard. Rope mesh with square or diamond openings that measure no more than 1 inch work best for animal control, but you can use a wider mesh opening if the fence is primarily decorative.

Trellis Tips

• A trellis made of rope mesh, either metal or fiber, can provide a purely utilitarian support for climbing vegetables, or you can use it to make a decorative trellis for ornamental vines. Fiber rope mesh is best suited for annual plants because it will break down eventually, while metal mesh will survive as long as a perennial plant, if not longer. Mesh is malleable and easily resizable, so you can adjust it to fit almost any trellis design. Stretch it between two posts for a freestanding trellis, which can double as a privacy screen. Place it against a wall with wall anchor clips to cover a fence or wall with greenery or flowering vines. You can also wrap mesh around garden obelisks or tepee trellises so the plants can more easily cover the surfaces of these features.

Erosion Control

• Slopes prone to erosion can benefit from an erosion blanket made of synthetic or jute fiber rope mesh. These blankets help anchor a slope so your grass, landscape plants, or decorative stones or gravel don't slide into unwanted areas of the yard. Simply install the rope mesh blanket over the slope, overlapping the edges and burying the edge on the upwind side of the slope. It may be necessary to stake down the mesh to initially anchor it. Eventually plants or grass grow through the mesh openings, covering the slope. The mesh holds the soil in place so they can root deeply. Jute mesh will eventually decompose, but by then the plant roots should be firmly anchored so they can hold the slope.