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jennieboyer

Trellis for raised bed - easy to construct

jennieboyer
12 years ago

Hi All,

I have a raised vegetable bed that has three rows of plants - half cucumber, half yellow squash. I need to build some type of trellis for them to climb on, but I don't have any help so need something easy to build on my own. I am a 41 yo female - fairly able bodied, but not super strong :-) I also need clear directions - I have looked through the forum and see some interesting ideas, but I don't completely understand them! The beds are about 8 feet long and 4 feet wide. They are about 30" high and the soil is very organic and rich - SUPER easy to dig in, so may need to anchor supports somehow. Thanks in advance for your help.

Comments (7)

  • fruitmaven_wiz5
    12 years ago

    I just put a trellis on my raised beds. I used 7' tall steel fence posts at each end, and hung some garden trellis string netting between the posts. I've used this method for three or four years now, and I like that it's movable and yet all the parts are durable. It is easy to push the posts into the soft soil by standing on them, so I can do it with no help from husband, and with small children running around. It's a bit of a pain to get the dead vines off the string net, so I have heard of some people constructing their own "net" out of cotton string. That way the whole mess is compostable at the end of the season. I included a link of the posts, I get mine at Menards but Most home improvement stores would have them. This is where I got the garden trellis: http://www.burpee.com/gardening-supplies/garden-growers/supports-ties-and-fences/garden-trellis-prod001220.html?catId=3052&trail=

    Here is a link that might be useful: Steel fence post

  • Peaceful_Warrior
    12 years ago

    fruitmaven - this is excellent. jennie read my mind. I have been looking all over for a simple way to trellis cukes.

    I have a question. Do those green posts rust? Most stuff I saw used either wood or bamboo, which the wood rots & bamboo looks a little too flimsy.

  • fruitmaven_wiz5
    12 years ago

    I haven't had any problems with rust, and they've been outside for a few summer seasons. (They were inside over the winters since prior to this year, I was using them in community gardens. Yay for finally having my own backyard!) They are powder-coated steel so I'm sure the places that get nicked will rust sometime. I think it could take a decade or two to completely rust away, though.

  • freshair2townsquare
    11 years ago

    jennie ~

    we're building a trellis for my flowering vines using yardgard - its comes in a roll, 4'x50', and costs about $50 - kinda expensive, but we're using it b/c the previous owners left it behind - they used it to keep their dog (typical usage for this product) inside the screened in porch

    it has a 2"x3" window with vinyl/metal mesh - they also come in something like chicken wire and a really small 1/2"x1" window called hardware cloth, also

    we staple-gunned it on to a wood frame

    the link takes you to home depot, but we bought ours at a nursery that also sells pet supplies

    ~ freshair

    Here is a link that might be useful: YardGard - potential trellis material

  • Max_G
    11 years ago

    You can also use t-posts, which were designed for constructing fences for cattle and horses. They come in various sizes, 5' through 8' posts are commonly available.

    Here is a link that might be useful: T-Post Pictures and Info

  • fuzzy
    11 years ago

    The cattle panel arch comes to mind...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cattle Panel Arch discussion- many pictures

  • gduke2
    11 years ago

    I am using 3 metal t-posts and a piece of concrete mesh - 5' x 10' with 6" squares - for beans, cukes, tomatoes and an assortment of squash and zucchini. The holes are large enough that you can pick from both sides of the trellis.

    The plus is that the posts and the mesh can be stored in non-growing seasons in very little space; use the mesh in sheets as opposed to rolls so that it does not curl. Look for construction sites where they are doing concrete work; you may pick up some left over sheets. The stuff lasts forever.

    I start the mesh about 8-12" above the ground and train the stalks to climb when the plants get some length to them. The posts and mesh are very strong and can support a lot of weight; the middle post keeps the trellis from bending out of line.

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