Image of Heavy Plastic Balcony Divider
stuff about stuf audio version click here to listen
The challenge this year is to create as large as possible planting space that is unobtrusive and to intergrate a stuf (reed) panel on one side and a trellis to support a green fence on the other which will obstruct the view to my neighbors balconies.
Partial View of STUF panel
The balcony dividers provide
-
Kiki and Nerica - Dem barking dawgs!
privacy – for both me and my neighbors.
- a quieter environment – since Kiki and Nerica, 2 instinctively territorial and incredibly cute dogs, who spend a lot of time on the balcony and like to bark at anything that moves (people, insects,birds.)
- added shade on the SW/W side year round creating a more balanced and seasonal micro-climate.
- a better aesthetic – blocking the heavy plastic and creating a more natural look.
STUF
The SW side is the more opaque panel having used stuf (reeds). You can buy in rolls in varying heights. The piece shown was purchased last year, it is 180cm in height, think it was around 4 mtrs in length – maybe 2 mtrs and I bought 2 rols? Recently when shopping for materials the price noted for a roll of 180cm H was around 20 euros or 30 US dollars. Each panel is held together with a couple of strands of wire at intervals of around 10cm in height which makes it quite stable and flexible.
Small pieces of stuf can rupture easily when you are thrashing it about. while perhaps I could be more graceful when working on the balcony, working alone sometimes my determination to complete the task at hand can get in the way at times. Nonetheless it is incredibly lightwieght and durable.
The stuf is attached to thinner wood pieces which were then attached to the interior of the wooden tiered planter. It worked quite well in that it covers the thin wood posts on both sides so the supports are hidden from both sides and doubling up the stuf is recommended for a more opaque look.
HOW TO
After building my plant box, 3 support posts cut to the height of the existing plastic divider were screwed securely into the the ends and center of the tiered plant box. Then sliding the box out the stuf was fastened on the back side that would be pushed up against the plastic divider.
Securing the panel -
Small tack nails, 3 (top, bottom, center) for each post were put into the back of each post.
Cut 9 small pieces of wire to around 10cm each – these were then woven into the wire ”weaves” mentioned earlier in the panel and wrapped around the tack nail heads to to hold the panel in place prior to stapling and for additional stability and support.
Stapled with a heavy duty stapler to 2 of the posts.
Then jump in front before you are trapped in the back or if you can turn the box sideways great but I could not 
Then wrapping the remaining stuf around to the front and stapling well.
Slide box straight back against existing plastic panel and….
Voila!
GREEN FENCE
The other side is not at all opaque at this time and it will take sometime until it is covered since it is made of a wooden frame, chicken wire and jute. Crawling green vines will cover this side. Here is what it looks like today.
Green Fence Before...
This blog will follow the growing process of the vines with pix as it grows!
If you would like to know about this project, please comment.
Happy Gardening!
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