Whether growing vegetables, vines, or climbing houseplants, some type of trellis design is needed. Sure, you can purchase a trellis, but there are so many fun, creative trellis building ideas and a homemade trellis is sure to save you some money too. Keep reading to learn how to make a trellis.
DIY Trellis Info
A trellis is a simple support structure that can be made out of almost any material you can think of. Basically, a trellis is a framework of bars set vertically and used as a support for climbing plants or even fruit trees.
A homemade trellis is also a space saver and allows those with smaller gardens to maximize space by growing vertically. Plus, it can be used to create privacy walls and “living fences.”
Your trellis design can be as simple as some sturdy branches from the yard with jute twine or something more complex involving metal and welding or treated wood and concrete. It will depend, of course, on the look you are trying to achieve but also your level of creativity, ability to use tools or machines and the amount of time you wish to spend on making the trellis.
Trellis Building Ideas
As mentioned, a DIY trellis design doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are many trellis designs that can be made for under $20 USD. Bamboo stakes and garden twine form a quick and inexpensive homemade trellis for very little money, for example.
You can make a trellis from repurposed items around the home. An old window combined with chicken wire makes a low-cost trellis to hang at the end of an open porch. An accordion coat rack, you know the kind that can be screwed horizontally to the wall, can have new life when embedded in a pot vertically as a trellis. Use old unused or damaged garden tools to create a trellis.
An old ladder serves as a trellis or obelisk, or you can make the structure yourself. A DIY trellis can also be made from two cattle panels. Have your kids outgrown their crib? Use the crib rails for a simple repurposed trellis.
Add a bit of charm to the garden with a rustic trellis made from T posts, poplar sapling twigs, and twine or zip ties. Screw 1 ½ inch (4 cm.) short cedar boards to a wood fence in a random pattern for a unique trellis for clematis.
Another trellis building idea is to use free wood pallets to support veggies, like cucumbers. As you can see, the list of trellis design ideas goes on and on.
How to Make a Trellis
The following info is a guide to building a simple DIY trellis. You may tweak it depending upon the materials you use but, basically, you will need a panel of wire remesh concrete support, two tall stakes, and zip ties or galvanized wire.
- Be sure to select stakes that are tall enough to come up to at least two-thirds of the completed height of the homemade trellis once it is in the ground. Ideally, use stakes that are not completely smooth. Notches, grooves, and other imperfections will keep the trellis from sliding around. They can be made of bamboo, wood, or metal such as rebar.
- You can either put the stakes into the soil first and then attach the remesh or attach the remesh first and then push the stakes into the soil. The second option often works the best, especially if you don’t have someone helping you.
- Lay the remesh on the ground and line up the stakes to the desired width. Keep the stakes on the edges of the remesh sheet farthest out so the trellis is most stable. Be sure a foot or two (31-61 cm.) of stake extends beyond the bottom edge of the remesh.
- Attach the remesh to the stakes with zip ties or galvanized wire, pulling in tightly to secure.
Again, this is just one trellis design idea. There are many other materials and trellis designs to choose from.