Trellises rely on a system of vertical and horizontal supports to provide a climbing or supporting structure for garden plants. While you can spend hundreds of dollars on elaborate trellises, sometimes the most charming trellises are made from available materials in your own backyard. You can gather sticks to build a rustic trellis that is sturdy enough to support everything from sweet pea flowers to tomatoes. Use larger diameter sticks for heavy plants, such as tomato vines, so the weight of the fruit doesn't pull down the trellis.
Lay three 6-foot branch poles on a flat work surface, spaced 8 to 12 inches apart. Use poles that are at least 1 inch in diameter or larger for supporting heavy plants. The exact spacing between vertical poles depends on your own preference, but you shouldn't space them more than 12 inches apart or the ends of vines could have difficulty attaching to the trellis.
Cut several sticks to 20- to 24-inch lengths for the horizontal supports; you can use sticks the same size as the vertical poles or smaller depending on your preference and the desired strength for the trellis. The length of the horizontal supports should be equal to the total width of the trellis plus 2 inches of overhang for each side of the trellis. For example, if you space the vertical poles 8 inches apart for a total trellis width of 16 inches, you need 4 extra inches for overhang, equaling a total length of 20 inches for the horizontal supports. The horizontal support spacing should be roughly equal to the vertical support spacing, so for 12-inch spacing, you'll need a total of six horizontal supports.
Lay the horizontal supports across the vertical branch poles, spaced evenly with the same spacing between horizontal supports as used for the branch poles. Start 8 to 12 inches from the bottom of the vertical poles to provide legs for mounting the trellis. If you use green sapling wood, you can weave the horizontal sticks around the vertical poles; alternate the weave direction for each horizontal stick with every other horizontal stick passing under and over the center vertical pole.
Secure the horizontal sticks to the vertical branch poles with 1 1/2-inch ring shank nails.
Wrap twine or grapevines around each joint of the horizontal and vertical supports to provide added stability to the structure and conceal the ring shank nails.
Bend narrow sapling wood into circles or curves, and nail them inside the squares that you created with the horizontal and vertical sticks. Alternatively, you can add straight sticks in the grids diagonally or attach longer sticks in an X-pattern between the top and bottom corners of the trellis. This step is entirely optional, but adds a decorative touch to the stick trellis.
Cut the trellis legs at a point to create sharp stakes that allow you to easily push the trellis legs into the ground in your garden. You can also prop the trellis against a fence, if desired.
Things You Will Need
- Measuring tape
- Circular saw
- 1 1/2-inch ring shank nails
- Twine or grapevines
- If you wish to make a larger trellis, simply use more vertical branch poles and make the horizontal support sticks long enough to span the additional trellis width.
- You can use any types of sticks you have on hand, but green sapling sticks work well because you can bend them into shape. Willow is a popular choice for garden arbors and trellises because of its extreme flexibility when green and its strength after the sticks dry. You can use dry wood for the trellis instruction, but avoid using brittle sticks that can easily break during construction.
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