DIY Garden Trellis Is the Perfect Spring Project
This is the time of year when gardeners can’t wait to plant a few plants in the ground, but if you live in a climate zone where it’s too early, there’s another project you can tackle right now to kickstart your garden this year. Whether you want to maximize space, use more direct sunlight, or simply make your garden more inviting, trellis is a great solution.
Some plants are designed for climbing, such as beans, peas and nasturtium. Giving them structure will ensure proper growth and, in the case of vegetables, a higher yield. But other plants can be grown on trellises by pulling up the vines. Using a trellis to vertically position your garden can increase yields and make the best use of a small space. You can also install more permanent bars to make your privacy screen bigger or double your fence.
What materials are required to build a trellis?
Since climbing vines often climb almost anything, there are many materials, from wood to metal, to choose from when designing a trellis. The key is choosing a material that is cost-effective and strong enough to hold your plants: weave, bamboo, and pre-cut steaks are a good place to start to save some money and build a solid structure that will last.
The hardest part of building a trellis is getting it to stay upright. There are several solutions to this problem, but using a strong fence post will help. For one panel of flat trellis, you will only need two stakes, some bale wire or other strong wire , and one panel of mesh or hog fence of the desired height and width. These wire mesh products come in a variety of sizes, but you can also cut them to fit your needs with a hacksaw or strong wire cutters .
How to build a garden trellis
Once you have chosen your size, drive the fence posts into the ground at each corner where you want the trellis to be placed. You can use a jackhammer or heavy hammer and remember to sink at least 1-2 feet into the mud to build a solid structure. You can then attach the wire mesh to the posts using metal tabs and a wire tie at the top and bottom corners for stability.
To build a simple arched trellis, you can use a similar method by doubling the number of fence posts and using a longer piece of wire mesh. Drive posts into the bottom two corners of the arch and attach the ends of the mesh to each pair of posts below and about 4-5 feet from the ground. This is a way to add a nice spot for climbing flowers or extra space for vegetables.
You can also use bamboo pegs to hold the trellis. Bamboo has the advantage of being more natural looking and that it can be easily cut to any height with a hand saw or saw. Follow the same steps as with metal stakes, using wire mesh to hold the mesh sheets in place. If you prefer to avoid metal entirely, bamboo mesh is also an alternative.
Important safety note: Before you start digging, be sure to check the ground for pipes and wires – most municipalities have government agencies that will do this for you before you start digging. A broken sewer pipe is definitely not the best start to the gardening season.