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catherinet11

I'm happy with my trellises

catherinet
10 years ago

For years I struggled with that netting that they sell for vertical growing. The hardest part was getting it unraveled from the package! Then some wouldn't hold up well, or get messed up on the trellis over winter.
I use galvanized electrical pipes to form structures that are about 3' wide and 6-7' high. Then I attach some concrete reinforcing mesh to them. Works great and I never have to change it. The mesh is about 6x6", so you can reach through to pick beans on the other side too.
You can buy single panels of this stuff at the big box hardware stores. Good stuff!

Comments (13)

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    Good lay out. I use those CRWs (48" x 84"?)fo make cages. @ $7.20 per pc. is a good deal.

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    10 years ago

    I bought some of that netting last year. It was an end of season close out. It is still on the shelf, I figured it would be easier to do it the way I've been doing it.

    Two strands of electric fence wire on metal fence poles. Then sisal twine weaved up and down between them. The twine is cheap and rots at the end of the season. I just snip it and take down with the dead vines. Easy cleanup!

  • catherinet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I bought some of the white nylon netting (I think from Burpee??) a couple years ago and it fell apart before the first season was over.
    I really love the concrete reinforcing wire. I made tomato cages out of it about 12 years ago and they're all still going strong.
    I also use them to protect new smaller bushes/trees from the deer until they can get bigger.

    I was younger and stronger when I bought a whole roll of the stuff..........VERY heavy stuff! I was glad to see last year that you could just buy panels of the stuff too. I used the panels for my pole beans. Here's a pic of my garden last year......concerete reinforcing wire for the tomato cages, the bean trellises and on my kids' old swingset for the cucs to grow up. I love that stuff! This pic was right after my husband weeded. It usually NEVER looks so good. haha

    As you can see in the second pic, the wire holds up great. Yes, there's an umbrella over the swingset..........a wren makes a nest in the swingset tubing every year, and I was giving it a little shade!

    {{gwi:48165}}

  • DixieGardner
    10 years ago

    I used the concrete mesh panels for my trellis this year and am a happy camper so far. I wanted to arch cattle panels, but they weren't available. I laid pairs of the mesh panels end to end, overlaping by one square and connected them with zip ties. I then bent them over and secured them with rebar. lol...I may post a pic at the link below...I'm not very good at that.

    Here is a link that might be useful: arched bean trellis

  • catherinet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Looks good DixieGardner! I've tried growing things up cattle panels, and I really think the plants like the concrete mesh better. It seems to be a better size for the tendrils to twist around.
    You did a good job!

  • dancinglemons
    10 years ago

    catherinet ,

    Your swing set looks great as does the rest of your trellis set up.

    DH does some minor "scrapping" and promised next time he is offered an "A" frame swing set he would get it for me. He was skeptical until he looked at your set-up.

    Cheers,
    DL

  • catherinet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks DL,
    If I somehow couldn't use this swingset any more, I'd buy another one, just for use in the garden. Good luck when you get one DL........they're just great, in so many ways!
    P.S......I did check for lead in the paint on it before I used it......so you might want to do that too, especially if its an older set.

  • DixieGardner
    10 years ago

    Even happier now that they are hanging full of beans. The nicest part is picking them in the shade of the trellis.

  • catherinet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Shade is wonderful! Your beans are looks great. And how they hang down inside the arch must make picking really easy! Maybe I'll try the arch again next year. Oh! That's right........you used overlaping concrete reinforcing wire. I think I'll try that, since mine never seemed to like growing up the cattle panel arch. I think they like to climb thinner wire........like the CRW. How tall would you say your arch is? What kind of beans are you growing?

  • DixieGardner
    10 years ago

    I would say the center of the arch is about 6 feet. I'm just over 5' and it easily clears my head, even with the beans hanging down. Some are on the outside, of course, but the bulk of them drop inside as they grow. They are Malibu pole beans. I used to do Kentucky Wonder, but these are more tender, have very few strings and a slightly sweeter taste. I have grown them for 2 years and really like them. I think they are more productive, but don't really have the stats to back that up :).

  • catherinet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the info DixieG.

    I quit growing Kentucky Wonder cause they seemed to attract more bugs. Now I grow Blue Lake and Kentucky Blue. One produces early and one later, which is nice. I'm trying rattlesnake this year, but it seems pretty weak.
    Sure glad there are options to grow things upwards........especially as I grow older!
    Will you leave your trellis up over winter? I think it would do fine.
    I leave all mine up.

  • DixieGardner
    10 years ago

    Hi Catherine. Yes, I will leave that trellis and my pea trellis up until they wear out. My pea trellis is a single panel of the CRW over pvc pipe hoops. I live in a townhouse with a very small back yard and fairly small side yard so storage during the winter would be a problem. Best to just leave them where they are.

    Here is a link that might be useful: pea trellis

  • catherinet
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Love your pea trellis too! Looks like you put every inch of your yard to good use! I leave all my CRW things out in the winter too. I don't think that's a problem at all for the stuff.
    Thanks for sharing your projects with us.

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