When we built the raised beds last fall I spent lots of time reading all about gardening and making decisions about how we would grow and what we would grow. One thing I realized early on was that to maximize space I would need to grow “up.” So I set off on an internet research quest to find the best trellises that I could make that would stay affordable. I didn’t keep track (bad me!) but I think we spent around $10 per trellis, though we did have the screws and some of the stakes (feet) already.

By chance I came across this design while I was looking up something else on vegetablegardener.com. The trellis plan, by Greg Holdsworth, was one of the best I saw in that it had two sides and was easy to build. The a-frame design distributes the weight both directions which has worked out nicely.

The trellises were easy to build with commonly available materials. After my husband cut the boards, I screwed the frames together then stapled the chicken wire to it. I do think chicken wire with bigger holes would work a tad bit better now that I’m using them.

One of the best features of the design is the removable feet. After a year in wet soil there’s a good chance the feet will be rotting. With this setup they unscrew and you can screw new ones on. Instead of cutting a board for this like the plan shows, I used pre-cut stakes.

So far the trellises are doing a sound job, holding up beans, peas, pumpkins (getting heavier by the day!), and cukes without faltering.

Checkout Greg’s Plans and Instructions Here

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