SFG Trellis questions

This is my first SFG, and I'm loving it! I have several 4x8 boxes that need to be trellised. Should I do two 4 foot trellis's for each box, or just put a support post in the middle of the 8' length of conduit? My husband is not a handy-type person, so if I figure it out, he'll help me put it together. Also, I need a trellis that will be strong enough to support melons and small pumpkins. I know Mel said to use fence post for a stronger support, but when looking at Lowe's, all I saw were wood fence posts. Any suggestions? Thanks so much. I get such delight each time I walk out in the yard and see all the green goodies growing!

Home Depot sells green metal flat posts that are perfect for a SFG garden. They are used for mesh & plastic fencing.

I made my trellises just like Mel said in the book, but I did use plastic conduit that I got from Menards. I got two elbows, two couplers and 3 five foot lengths of plastic conduit. I put rebar or steel vegetable stakes into the ground about 12" or so (ground was very soft at the time), put the conduit over the stakes, added the elbows and couplers, and cut the third conduit to fit the middle with a hacksaw. Believe me I got some rolling eyeballs when I told the sales associate in the electrical department what I was going to do, but he helped me get all that I needed, and it wasn't expensive. My biggest problem was realizing I had to reverse the blade in the hacksaw if I wanted it to cut! LOL.... They have done great and are supporting tomatoes and cukes (and peas but I didn't really need it for that). My cukes are the best ever and I swear it's because of these trellises. I haven't had a tornado to test them, but they withstood 50-60 mph thunderstorm winds just fine. Here's a photo of them from last May.

I've made two 4 foot wide sections side-by-side in my 2x8' SFG for my climbers. I never found the "T" connector in the EMT conduit section, so I just made 2 separate trellises. I haven't been disappointed, either.

My favorite trellis is made with a cattle panel. It worked great for pumpkins and cucumbers. I have four t posts to keep it in place, but havn't tied it down yet. It doesn't go anywhere.

Selandra - How are your t-posts attached to the cattle panel? Do you have a picture of the detail? Thanks!

Wow, Selandra!! That's one HUGE pumpkin just hanging there!

I have 6 cattle panels----three are in an arch forming a long tunnel for green beans and three more are just upright that I am using for cucs, peas, and tomato. Can't say enough good things about them. Next year I hope to add another three sections of 15 foot cattle panels. I have small rebar tposts (cost significantly less than regular tposts) and they are more than sufficient. I just used zipstrips to hold the cattle panel to them. My trellis was up all last summer, through a MN subzero winter, and the zipstrips are still holding up just fine. I have a post on here with pictures I will find. I am unable to post new pictures for some reason so I don't have pictures of the ones not arched.

MasonGarden wrote:Selandra - How are your t-posts attached to the cattle panel? Do you have a picture of the detail? Thanks!

Actually, I never did get around to attaching them. The panels stayed right where they were suppose too, even in high wind and rain. I don't like how big they are, but I think I'll do what milaneyjane suggested and get the smaller posts. I want to get a few more done. They do so well and look good. Make sure you get the cattle and not hog.
Also easy to clean, just yank off all the stems.

Denese - Pumpkins did great, didn't even need to support them. They stayed secure right up till I picked them.

The

I also use Cattle Panels. I love them! I only have a stake holding mine to the ground.
Here's a few photos:
My zucchini, squash, and beans grow up this one. I also have all my tomatoes growing on cattle panels.


This makes picking beans much easier.

Also good for hanging Garlic on to cure.

My garden with assorted trellis systems.

Hi all!  Starting my first-ever SFG and I'm doing it on concrete. I'm wanting to make an arched trellis for the melons. I'm liking the way the cattle panel looks, but not sure how I'd secure it to my boxes laying on the concrete.   Any ideas?

Puzderk, Welcome to the Forum from California! Tuck the panel inside the box and secure it to the wood. Photo of your set up will help. We love photos!

sanderson wrote:Puzderk,  Welcome to the Forum from California!    Tuck the panel inside the box and secure it to the wood.  Photo of your set up will help.  We love photos!

Thank you for the welcome!! I hope that link works for the pic. I want to trellis the long 10x2 box on the left to the middle and then another one from the long 10x2 on the right to the middle. Not sure what that would do for sunlight on the plants in the middle though? So, 2 arches. And then a simple bean trellis on the boxes in front of my compost bin.  North is in the left corner behind the 10x2 on the left.