Add A trellis to your gardens for color and extra garden space

Trellises add to the garden by giving certain plants that vine the proper growing environment. They also are a plus in adding more gardening room to gardens and yards by growing plants vertically. I myself grow tomatoes, most squash, gourds, cucumbers and many other plants on trellises. I have also noticed insects are easier to control when plants are off the ground.

One additional use for a trellis is it can shade an area of the yard and can actually be used as a break to separate certain areas form others. It’s also a great way to create a secret garden.

Points to considerer when adding a trellis

• You can install your trellis in the ground or in a large pot. I use a pot for plants I may want to move later or for accent plants. (Specialty plants that add to a room or garden area)
• Choose a location for your garden trellis that receives the required amount of sunlight needed by your climbing plant.
• If the trellis is freestanding, it needs to be driven about 2 feet into the ground for stability. Its a lot of work to stand a trellis back up if it falls over so take into consideration the weight of the plants, particularly gourds, tomato and squash plants.
• If the trellis is in front of a wall or other solid object it can be secured with a bracket. If the posts are not long enough you can add a length of wood or metal post.
• Drive the trellis into the ground with a mallet or hammer. If the ground is too hard to drive the posts into the ground you can dig a hole then insert the posts. Pack the soil back around the posts firmly. Hint: I put in trellises after a rain or wet the ground thoroughly. Wet soil is easier to get posts and trellises in.
• It is wise to use a level to determine if the garden trellis is level vertically and horizontally. Your gardens will look nicer if your garden props are straight and secure.
• Plant your climbing plant at the base of the trellis and weave or tie the vines through the trellis as desired.

In the fall I remove annual vines and trim any perennial vines.

Trellises will last for years if properly put into the ground and maintained. They add an artistic touch to a yard and eye pleasing color. There are many interesting vines that you can add to your yard.

Tags: how to set up a trellis, what to grow on a trellis, creating garden room or secret gardens

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 17th, 2008 at 10:01 am and is filed under gardening tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.