Even if your cattle panel is the heaviest gauge, you're likely going to have collapse at the top from the weight of the toms. In addition, it is harder to weave toms through the small holes and you run the risk of breaking a stem that way. Cukes might pull it down too. Beans, likely no.

Dan

For what it's worth, the supplies to do the trellising Mel's way work out to cost about $8 per trellis here in the suburbs of New York City, where everything is overpriced. Is that helpful info?

Well, I have grown gourds on these panels before and they are pretty heavy. These aren't woven wire. From my personal experience with it I am pretty sure it will hold up to the plants, I was just wondering if my placement of the arches and the boxes would work. The holes are 3 x 4 inches so I don't think that will be a problem either. Thank you for your thoughts on it.

Tracy

AIUI you are talking about making an arch with the cattle panel material as the only support. I can't picture how it is strong enough to bear the weight.

My trellises are 1/2 EMT conduit, and the HD sells a 10' piece for 1.65 last I checked.

Dan

I anchor them to the ground with rebar posts that I have. It is very strong. I really can't imagine anything pulling them down. The panels are made with I would say 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter wire (if that is what you would call it) My husband said he will cut some for me if I want with a cutting torch or bolt cutters. But I was just thinking it would be easier to make the arch than use t-posts to anchor the panels cut down to about 6 ft. We will see. I may do some one way, some the other.
Tracy

Do you have the option to plant a bed 3 foot x 12 foot and run the entire 12 foot panel on the north side of the bed ? This also gives you 4 more square feet than if you had two 4 x 4 boxes.

trmeyer; Have you checked out the vertical gardening forum on GW. There are great ideas over there and cattle panel pictures too.
Curt~

If your cattle panels are the same 9 gauge welded wire mesh that I have seen on the concrete reinforcing mesh that people around here use, they should be plenty strong enough.

If you have some six foot rebar, stakes, fence posts, etc., I would second the motion for standing the panel on its side for a multi-box run four feet high. At my allotment, lots of people use the concrete re-mesh that way. They use the 1/2" emt conduit for fence posts every four feet, and wire or zip ties to hold the mesh to the posts. (The concrete reinforcing mesh is 4' x 8' with 6" openings. It sells for about $12)

BTW Dan, it makes me crazy reading what people pay for things everywhere. Those 10' pieces of 1/2" conduit are $4.98 at Home Depot and Rona here in Toronto. $1.65 where you are? Looks like it is time to get into conduit arbitrage!

Ok, I had thought to run it lengthwise along my bed, but wouldn't I be needing it to be a bit taller? Like twice as tall as it would be? I am using an old greenhouse frame that no longer has plastic, to lay the vinyl netting on and build boxes under it to plant stuff around it also. I have a lot of vining stuff that I want to plant:) I may do the long box, if I can figure out a way to get the panels high enough. I guess I could do two stacked on top of each other and use some of the conduit instead of t-posts. The conduit would be able to be taller. I checked out the price and it is 1.88 per section. I thought it was higher. But I am already buying 50 ft. of the vinyl netting for the old greenhouse frame, I am trying to cut down on the costs of the other trellises. Thanks for all your help everyone. Thanks paully1 for explaining the cattle panels better than I could:)

Tracy

My trellis is 5 foot high and has posts that are partially buried so it starts just a few inches off the ground ...

If the cattle panel is indeed the .25" welded wire, it should easily hold as an arch, but turned sideways won't be tall enough for toms and you'll be guiding your cukes 3x weekly. You can turn it the other way and your husband can cut with bolt cutters. Not a problem. All these contortions just so you don't cut is unproductive. And I prefer twine for toms, as you can untie the toms when frost comes, put them on the ground, cover with row cover, and put back up the next day. Much easier to train than cattle panel/mesh/CRW as well.

As for the cost of EMT at HD, we have to get some return for our overseas endeavors to secure resources! [/snark] OTOH, that is quite a price difference. Must be some tariff on material.

And I do like Angela's picture...very nice indeed.

Dan

I am still thinking about this, trying to figure it out. I think I will try one box with the netting and the conduit and try another with the cattle panels cut. Then I will see how it works out for next year. Thanks everyone. I love the picture of the garden. Thanks!