another trellis question

**walshevak** 4/3/2011, 11:52 am

I originally asked this question in my progress update, but thought I'd also post here.

Because my beds are so high, in order for me to have a decent height trellis I will need to use the entire 10" conduit. I'm want to use 24" rebar (1/2 into the ground) and also attach to the sides of the boxes with a clamp. I have a step stool that is sturdy. Any comments or advice before I start installing

Kay

**camprn** 4/3/2011, 11:55 am

If you're feeling comfortable with gardening whilst on the ladder, it sounds workable!

barmstr 4/3/2011, 7:26 pm

I use 4' rebar so the conduit does not bend. The rebar is driven ito the ground 2 feet,if I don't hit a rock or bolder. Also, take a can lid, punch or drill a hole in the middle just big enough for the rebar to go through the lid and slide it over the rebar so the conduit sits on the can lit. Sometime, with the weight of the veggies on the conduit, the conduit will sink into the ground. I don't worry about that in my garden as the ground is decomposing granit and adobe. Thank goodness for raised beds and Mel's mix.

Happy planting

Bruce

**walshevak** 4/3/2011, 8:12 pm

Just an update on my trellis question. I took my step stool out to the garden area and stood on it to see where I felt comfortable. The 10ft was just too high. I decided that 8 ft is the max I'm willing to work with. That will put my trellis 5 1/2 ft above my beds. Some plants may just have to go up, over and back down, but that's the breaks.

Kay

CindiLou 4/3/2011, 11:23 pm

With being 5' 2" tall No way I could do 8'! Last year I used a horse panel cage for my tomato.
It grew up and over! It did great!

This year I am growing luffa and zucchini up and over an old bench swing frame! Will be cool if it works. I think I will wind twine around to give them something to grip when growing up!

I have a balance problem so if my DH or kids found me on a ladder I would so be dead!

**walshevak** 4/7/2011, 8:57 am

I found 2 wooden fold up trellis in a corner of my garage. I'm gonna zip tie them to the pvc hoops for my peas and worry about replacing them with electrical conduit when I plant the pole beans and tomatos. Gotta go out of town for about 2 weeks tomorrow and one set of peas is looking for trellis.

Today's projects: dump the duck poopy straw I got free into the compost pile, turn the compost pile, set up trellis, and get the seedlings ready to travel. Nobody here to watch-water them while I'm gone.

Kay

Almost forgot, I'm supposed to pick up some free flower plants in the late afternoon. Guess they'll have to travel too.

BackyardBirdGardner 4/7/2011, 9:06 am

walshevak wrote:I found 2 wooden fold up trellis in a corner of my garage. I'm gonna zip tie them to the pvc hoops for my peas and worry about replacing them with electrical conduit when I plant the pole beans and tomatos. Gotta go out of town for about 2 weeks tomorrow and one set of peas is looking for trellis.

My peas are looking, too. They are starting to reach for my grid with side shoots, too.

Do we think that ziptying 1x2 wood pieces to PVC hoops will hold peas? Or, will it be too heavy. I have 19 peas in 3 squares and plan to fill my gaps to get to a full 24 plants. I would love to use the hoops if possible as the framework. I just felt it would warp under the weight?

My issue is getting a trellis in there for peas while still keeping the netting on the hoops. It isn't going to be possible I don't think. But, I can't put my peas in the other bed....it's reserved for toms and cukes. Hmmmm. Any ideas would be appreciated. (Maybe I should start my own thread instead of asking here. I don't want to hijack this one.)

boffer 4/7/2011, 10:16 am

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:
Do we think that ziptying 1x2 wood pieces to PVC hoops will hold peas? Or, will it be too heavy.

I looked for your thread but didn't find it, so I'll answer here. I grow pole peas. They basically support their own weight. They just need to cling to something so they don't fall over. Weight shouldn't be an issue.

acara 4/7/2011, 10:33 am

Do we think that ziptying 1x2 wood pieces to PVC hoops will hold peas? Or, will it be too heavy. I have 19 peas in 3 squares and plan to fill my gaps to get to a full 24 plants. I would love to use the hoops if possible as the framework. I just felt it would warp under the weight?

I'm going on the assumption that "enough" zip-ties will hold up anything ....

another trellis question 102_2854

I've got 8 full sized tomatoes on a 4 x 8 PVC trellis ...supported by zip-ties .... so far-so good

elliephant 4/7/2011, 12:34 pm

Zip-ties! THAT'S what I need! Thanks for the idea! another trellis question 109486

Jay Bird 4/7/2011, 1:39 pm

Be careful with zip ties and pull them to tight they will cut off the circulation, I bought the green stretchy tape at lowes for tying plants to trellis it works graet and only cost about 2 bucks a roll and one roll lasts forever. tyewraaps aka zip ties are expensive in the big scheme of things

elliephant 4/7/2011, 1:47 pm

What I'm thinking of (and I think what Acara is talking about) is using the zip ties to secure the trellis to the frame. I use the green stretchy stuff for securing plants to the trellis.

BackyardBirdGardner 4/7/2011, 2:09 pm

Thanks guys/gals. I didn't start the other thread because when I re-looked at the title, it was general enough I didn't feel I was hijacking anything.

I may ziptie my cross braces to the hoops and string my string vertically between the cross braces. But, who knows. I feel so disorganized with my little squares of peas. As much as I've overthought things this spring, I underthought my peas....lol. Well, there's something to obsess over for a few days....yippeeee!

**walshevak** 4/7/2011, 4:06 pm

This is what I came up with. See those metal rods at the corners. That's what goes into the hinges that hold my boxes together and the reason my hoops are sitting on top of the box instead of in it. Normally those rods would be stuck into the ground holding the bed in place. (I had kits) I moved the hoop over 1 square, ziptied the trellis to the stakes and to the middle grid, tied the top over to the top of the hoop and set up twigs to "guide" the peas to the trellis. Now peas are open for pollination if they don't get eaten first but the rest is still bug proof. Wink

I don't have as many plants per square as I could. Some didn't sprout and I didn't fill in.

another trellis question Imgp1216

acara 4/7/2011, 5:40 pm

elliephant wrote:What I'm thinking of (and I think what Acara is talking about) is using the zip ties to secure the trellis to the frame. I use the green stretchy stuff for securing plants to the trellis.

Yes - Yes -Yes

Sorry about that ,,, didn't mean to be confusing.

DO NOT RECOMMEND zip-ties on your plants ....bad juju

I meant building support structures using zip ties. In the pic above, the PVC lattice is attached to the PVC pipe with white zip-ties, on about 6" centers (I just trimmed the ends of the zip ties off, because thats what all the kewl kids with OCD do...LOL Cool

).

FarmerValerie 4/8/2011, 8:27 am

I'm so OCD I know how to remove the zip ties and reuse them..... Oh boy.

buttaflie143 4/23/2011, 10:41 pm

I purchased enough materials for two trellises according to Mel's instructions, but I just realized the guy at the box store only cut one to 4', so instead of two 4' pieces and four 5' pieces, I have one 4' piece and five 5' pieces. I figure I will just have to extend the trellis on both sides by 9", will this be ok? Most of the trellises that I have seen have been the same length of the bed. My bed is 4x8, but my trellis will be 5x9 and 1/2 (an extra 18 inches). What do you think?

**walshevak** 4/23/2011, 10:52 pm

I've seen posts where the trellis was deliberately made wider to give extra space. Just fan the plant over a bit.

Kay

buttaflie143 4/23/2011, 10:57 pm

YAH!!!!!

shannon1 4/24/2011, 12:49 am

It will be great.

Jeannie Beannie 4/24/2011, 1:58 am

Okay, so I wrestled the beast, (a.k.a. chicken wire) armed only with wire cutters and electrical zip ties to make a covering for my square foot garden. I did have a few war wounds despite wearing thick gloves and was grateful I was wearing long sleeves. :-) It did turn out great, but...

I have a question... how is it possible to have trellising plants when the wooden frame extends edge-to-edge and it needs to be lifted off for harvesting and planting? I thought I followed the book example exactly, but I am having trouble explaining this one to my husband and the kids.... :-) Kind of feel like I garden'd myself into a corner!

J

**camprn** 4/24/2011, 7:32 am

to the forum Jeanie! I would love to answer your question as I have also 'gardened my way into a corner' more than once. I like to call these times 'learning experiences' rather than' a dumb error' another trellis question 601593

which I tend to do Embarassed

. Anyway...

Do you have a photo of your trellis? That would help us understand a bit better what is going on. As to removing the trellis for harvest, generally speaking the trellis stays up all season and there is a period of time where harvesting the vegetables happens, not all at once. What do you plan on growing up the trellis?

**walshevak** 4/24/2011, 8:14 am

Jeannie Beannie wrote:Okay, so I wrestled the beast, (a.k.a. chicken wire) armed only with wire cutters and electrical zip ties to make a covering for my square foot garden. I did have a few war wounds despite wearing thick gloves and was grateful I was wearing long sleeves. :-) It did turn out great, but...

I have a question... how is it possible to have trellising plants when the wooden frame extends edge-to-edge and it needs to be lifted off for harvesting and planting? I thought I followed the book example exactly, but I am having trouble explaining this one to my husband and the kids.... :-) Kind of feel like I garden'd myself into a corner!

J

I think I get it. You built a critter cage over the box and now can't figger out how to open the box when plants are climbing a trellis. Yep, in a corner. I used pvc hoops and nylon tulle for bug protection and was having the same question. I finally move the hoop up a square and left the trellis plants unprotected. Only peas for now, but will have to do it for beans, tomatos, and cukes

FarmerValerie 4/24/2011, 9:09 am

I don't have any answers JeanieBeanie, but did want to say another trellis question 396615

Jeannie Beannie 4/24/2011, 11:58 am

Thanks for your "support", pun intended about my critter cage and trellis issue. I am solving my dilemma by adding another garden! I am going to trellis one and cage the other one! Problem solved! Smile

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Which comes first the chicken coop or the trellis? :-)

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I came up with an answer!

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