7 Easy Vegetable Trellising Methods to Elevate Your Garden

Trellises in the vegetable garden are the unsung heroes!

They elevate any garden space to a multi-dimensional and interesting experience. Suddenly, a small garden or a blank piece of ground has hiding places for kids, saves space, adds beauty, and boosts plant health and yield! If you have tried many types of trellises but found them complex and pricey. Try out these tried and true favorites that will prove to be affordable and long-lasting trellising methods. And don’t forget to have fun!

Mix and match crop types, salvage materials you have lying around, and get creative!

1. Self-Trellising! Did you know that some crops can self-trellis?

Yes, that’s right! One such crop that loves to self-trellis is peas.

Peas are typically bred for two different leaf types: normal and afila vines. Normal vines are typically taller overall plants, ranging anywhere from 3-6 feet tall, and do best on some sort of constructed trellis system. Otherwise, they will tend to lie on the ground. Afila vines on the other hand are typically pea plants that are shorter in stature averaging 18-24 feet tall and have extra tendrils. These abundances of tendrils stick together as the plants grow acting like Velcro meaning they do not need a trellis and will use each other to stand tall! Afila-type vines are traditionally bred for large acre productions since the vines will stay up and off the ground, causing improved airflow, better disease resistance, and ease of harvest. Copy this growing method in a garden, raised bed, or container for easy peasy growing. As a bonus add the frilly tendrils fresh or cooked in salads, and main courses for a refreshing pea taste!

Crop suggestions: Afila-type peas like new Peas ‘N’ Pod Bernard

Materials needed: Nothing!

How to: Plant seeds 2-3 inches apart in a row and 6-8 inches apart between rows right after the last frost. And that’s it! Watch them grow and cling to each other. Due to the short plant structure, you can plant afila peas in a pot or raised bed.

2. Dreamy Arch for Heavy Fruited Crops

Do you love a large, sweet watermelon or a beautiful pumpkin right from your garden but don’t have room for those massive, sprawling vines?

What do you do when the vines encroach on your coveted lawn and take over neighboring crops in the garden? You could prune back the vines. Or you could go up! Try building a romantic arch for these heavy-fruited crops to grow up and over. It will become a fun tunnel for kids to play in. A secret garden to sit, read, relax, and watch the birds pollinators do their work. These dreamy tunnels are also a great way to produce a better crop that is easy to harvest and find the fruit as they hang through the panels. Not only fun but growing this way improves airflow and can mitigate certain diseases and mildew on both plant and fruit.

Crop suggestions: Pumpkins, Winter Squash, Melons, Watermelon, Gourds, Cucumbers

Materials needed:

1. Cattle panels
2. Metal t-posts
3. Wire fasteners, zip ties
4. Optional. Mesh bags, nylon pantyhose for holding up fruit
5. Optional. Landscape fabric

How to:

1. For a straight tunnel, plumb out a straight line the length of the trellis you want to build. Measure out about 6 feet across for another run. This will be your line the t-posts will run. Bend over your first cattle panel. Stake out two the width of the cattle panel then measure out the distance (about 6 feet) for the next two t-posts. Carefully bend your cattle panel so that the bottom of the cattle panel is on the inside of the t-pots and then again on the inside of the opposite two t-posts. Fasten with wire, zip ties, or fasteners. As you build out more cattle panels, be sure to secure each cattle panel to the adjoining panel with zip ties to make a sturdy structure. As the vines grow you will have to train them up by carefully weaving them through the wire panels. Be very cautious while weaving the vines as they easily break.
   1. As the fruit grows be sure to give the heaviest of fruits such as watermelon or pumpkins extra support. To support the heavy fruit and ensure they don’t break off opt for some mesh bags or even nylon pantyhose. Simply slide the mesh bag over the still growing fruit and tie the bag to the wire trellis.
   2. Additionally, for a less weedy path, lay down landscape fabric inside the trellis for a clean walking path. This type of arch trellis also works beautifully to connect raised beds and maximize space.

3. Hands-down Best Tomato Trellis

We’ve used so many different tomato trellises over the years, but this system takes the cake.

With its simple, yet sturdy materials that will last years. Easy to assemble, can stay in the ground all year or be taken down and stored without taking up storage space. It is sturdy even for the heaviest of tomato crops and withstands strong winds. This is a must trellis for several crops that will be sure to impress. With materials that will last years and be sturdy enough for large tomato crops. Trellising this way ensures the plant and fruits are up off the ground, resulting in better airflow and less disease and pests. Also, more sunlight reaches the fruits (sunlight on tomato fruit increases flavor), higher yields, and ease of harvest!

Crop suggestions: Tomatoes, Pole Beans, Cucumbers

Materials needed:

1. 7-foot t-posts.
2. ½” Galvanized electrical conduit Sticks. 10’ in length.
3. ½” Galvanized connectors as needed.
4. 1 14″ PVC t’s
5. Tomato twine
6. Tomato clips

How to:

Lay out your conduit where you would like the trellis to be constructed. Drive t-posts one foot into the ground. Place PVC t’s on top of each t-post. Run the conduit through each PVC t. Connect each conduit with the galvanized connectors and tighten to secure. Hide connectors inside the PVC t’s. Plant your crop to the suggested plant spacing. Tie tomato twine from the conduit and secure the bottom of the twine with a tomato clip to the base and under the first leaf of your plant. Be sure the string is taut. As the plant grows, be sure to train your crops up the tomato string by using additional tomato clips under branches. Pruning and cutting off suckers on tomatoes is highly recommended for a better yield, cleanliness, and airflow. It also proves to be a relaxing and satisfying job!

Credit to Josh Sattin at Sattin Hills Farms on this easy and affordable trellis system! Sattin Hill Farms trellis tutorial link 

4. Simple, Yet Versatile Cattle Panel Trellis

This trellis is versatile and great for shorter vined crops.

Like the cattle panel arch design except instead of creating an arch, you’ll build either a vertically tall or horizontally long row depending on the crop height and space needs.

Crop suggestions: Cucumbers, Peas, Tomatoes

Materials needed:

1. Cattle panels
2.  T-posts – tall 6’ is ideal.
3. Wire fasteners, or zip ties

How to:

Stake out t-posts- 3 per cattle panel. Stretch out the cattle panel lengthwise. Fasten cattle panels with wire fasteners or zip ties. To increase the height of the overall trellis, raise the cattle panels off the ground which is why the height of the t-post is important. Or simply prop up your cattle panel along a house, garage, fence, etc. for a quick and easy solution!

5. Compact and Easy to Store Foldable Trellises

Looking for an easy-to-assemble, mobile trellis that fits in small spaces like raised beds?

There are many options for foldable trellises. These trellises come in multiple shapes and sizes and the best ones are galvanized and thus resistant to rust. Opt for types that hinge and can collapse or fold for easy storage. For added fun, connect raised beds with more tepee or arched-type foldable trellises.

Crop suggestions: Cucumbers, Peas

Materials needed:

1. Galvanized, foldable trellises.

How to:

Either before or soon after sowing seed or planting transplants stake out your trellis. Some crops may need a little guidance climbing but otherwise, it is as easy as that!

6. Woven Wood Trellis

If you’re looking for a unique trellis for your taller vining crops and don’t mind a little extra work and resources.

Try this beautiful woven wood-frame trellis that can be modified to fit your garden needs or preferences. As a bonus, this is a great trellis-building activity with older children!

Crop suggestions: Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Gourds, Pole Beans like AAS Winner Seychelles

Materials needed:

1. Three – 1×1” and 6-7’ tall wood
2. One – 2 x 4’ wood bottom brace
3. Screws
4. String or mesh net

How to:

Drive 1×1 wood one foot into the ground. Drill the top piece of wood to the top. Secure the bottom board to the face of the trellis to tighten up and ensure the frame is square. On the face of the trellis drill in screws until just ¼ inch of the screw is sticking out 6” apart both on the horizontal pieces and on the top and bottom boards. Tie string to first screw and weave string horizontally then start a new strand and weave through the horizontal string up and down vertically for a square and interlocking weave.

7. Florida Weave

Want something simple to keep precious pepper or even eggplant plants from toppling over with the weight of their fruit?

Try the tried and true – Florida weave! The Florida weave is a common trellising method for larger-scale crop productions but should be used in home gardens and small spaces. It includes materials that may just be laying around your home and takes little effort.

Crop suggestions: Peppers, Eggplants and Tomatoes

Materials needed:

1. 1″ x 1″ wood stakes. 36” tall or taller.
2. Tomato twine.

How to:

When plants are young but less than a foot tall drive wood stakes every 3-4 plants. Tie tomato twine about 6 inches off the ground on the first wood stake. Weave twine inside the plants then anchoring around the next stake. Then weave on the outside of the next set of plants until you reach the next stake. Repeat. Continue up the stake as the plant grows.

Written by NGB Member: Pure Line Seeds

“This post is provided as an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article.”