How to Make Trellises

Overview

A trellis gives climbing vines a support to climb up. Trellises can be as simple as a bit of knotted rope for beans or as complicated as a redwood arbor to support heavy grapes. It can be functional or purely decorative. Gardeners looking for a quick and sturdy trellis for the garden can put one up in a short time with just a few tools from the hardware store.

Step 1

Measure your cattle panel trellis. This will help you determine how far apart your supports should be spaced.

Step 2

Select the area where you want to place your trellis. Your trellis should be erected in a good place to plant your climbing plants. Measure the distance where the trellis will stand, and mark the spot for the support posts. The support posts should be installed 2 feet from each end of the panel.

Step 3

Drive the T-posts into the ground at the places you have marked using a fence post driver. You should drive the T-posts far enough into the ground that they can support the weight of your climbing plants.

Step 4

Prop the livestock panel against the T post. Use fencing clips to secure the panel to the posts.

Step 5

Plant your plants next to the trellis so that they can climb the structure as they grow. To plant plants from seed, dig a furrow in the ground that is twice the size of the seed. Space your seeds according to the directions on the back of the seed package. Cover the furrows with dirt. To plant bulbs or rooted plants, dig a hole into the ground with a shovel. Place the plants in the hole and cover them with dirt. Then water the plants.