vertical gardening structures

Here is a pic of the "T" we used, and also of the 90. My husband said it's call 1/2" rigid conduit. We have it up for at LEAST 10 years, with tomato guard wire on it, and it's still standing. We almost lost it once when it was covered in sweet peas, and we had a wind storm, and about turned into a sail! but it made it. Super sturdy, and not that expensive for all the use we've gotten.

I was having trouble with the cost of the trellis construction. I had the metal electrical conduit (emt) for the posts and top bar, but the cost of the elbow was very high. I talked to the plumbing guy at Lowes and explained what I was trying to do. He suggested I use pvc connectors since I didn't need to meet any codes. Drill through the pvc/ent and insert bolts . Here it is and pve comes in a tee. Held through a hurricane.




Kay

I like the idea of using plastic PVC fittings with conduit. My question is what size did you use with the 1/2" conduit? It looks like in is 3/4" but it is hard to guage.

this was taken before the garden was landscaped but should give you an idea or two.

If you look carefully you can see two cheap vertical growing frame devices .

The blue tent like structure slightly to the left of centre is a doddle to make , five 8 foot garden poles lashed together to make a tent shape and the blue 6 mm dia rope to make the rope guides for the beans to run up. Cost about £6 UK ...15 USD for allnew parts .

The ends have two guy ropes at each end , the guides also have a peg that is fixed to the rope , the peg is set in the ground and the other end of the rope is slightly taught & securely tied to the cross bar . Then tie on the additional ropes which are also fixed to a peg set in the ground

Almost right in th middle of the picture is what we know in the UK as galvanised weld mesh in 3/16 thick wire made as 6 by 3 inch squares... a full 8 foot by 4 foot sheet cost me £12 .... 30 USD.

I cut it in three using a small electric disc cutter giving approx 42 by 48 inch panels .trim the sharp ends off for safety before using it

Everything collapses down when needed and is stored away in a small space till the next season arrives.

The wire is fixed to the green 8 foot poles with plastic cable ties , the two up right poles have two guy ropes & home made pegs on each pole to keep everything errect and sound.



As plants grew higher I added a top panel , again fixed in on the sides and also now at the joint with more cable ties.

floyd1440 wrote:I like the idea of using plastic PVC fittings with conduit. My question is what size did you use with the 1/2" conduit? It looks like in is 3/4" but it is hard to guage.

It was 1/2" pvc fittings, I took the elbow over to the emt aisle and made sure it would fit .

Kay

Kay

Thanks for the clarification as it looked like a size larger than 1/2", but taking it around the store makes sense. Currently I have build my trellis with all PVC sch 40 pipe with 6' rebar but I will not know if it will be as strong as yours.

But if it doesn't make it I can replace the PVC with conduit next seaon as the hardest part was driving the rebar that far in the ground.

I will try to send you some pics tomorrow.

How do you attach pictures???

I was having trouble with the cost of the trellis construction. I had the metal electrical conduit (emt) for the posts and top bar, but the cost of the elbow was very high. I talked to the plumbing guy at Lowes and explained what I was trying to do. He suggested I use pvc connectors since I didn't need to meet any codes. Drill through the pvc/ent and insert bolts . Here it is and pve comes in a tee. Held through a hurricane.

That's some pretty creative engineering. I always have cattle panels and t-posts around, so that is what I use. I love the little tunnel on the previous page with the cattle panel. I might have to give that try.

I found this video and I want to do this with my tomatoes. My wife is a little unsure. I like how this guy is a farmer and uses SFG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc6_ATF4lp4&feature=related

I found another video with the same guy growing pumpkins vertically.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raFtcKNpGYM

this is a cattle panel one we made for grapes with 90 degree an angles on the ends


And then this one bend over, that if we had stayed long enough we would have taken of the plastic and then used it as a trellis in the summer You can see peas growing up the inside

A couple of questions ....



First.. WHy not make the frame all out of pvc, instead of metal piping ?? It'd be easier to set up or take down or add to, wouldn't it ??



Second... The netting, why not make your own from maybe jute or something biodegradable(sp) ?? If not jute then a nylon twine where you could reuse for a long time ?? Netting is not that hard to make...



Just curious ?

Well the cattle panels are easier than anything, you just bend them over and presto you have a structure, you only have to anchor it into the ground.

On the first issue, I was a newbie and following the book very carefully. I have always made my pea and bean climbing trellis from tobacco sticks and twine in the past and put my tomatos in cages. Wanted to try the nets. I find them a pain. Gonna try something diffent this year.

Kay

GWN I LOVE YOUR HOOP HOUSE!!! Love it! I wish it was in my yard...

GWN I LOVE YOUR HOOP HOUSE!!! Love it! I wish it was in my yard...

I wish it was in my yard now too. We moved...
However I have this one in my yard now

Gwn, those are great hoop houses! How do you anchor those cattle panels? How did we ever live without cattle panels? I love 'em!

sherryeo wrote: Feistywidget, The electrical conduit trellis in The All New Square Foot Gardening Book by Mel Bartholomew is truly super super simple. My husband and I have to be among the least handy people on the planet, but found this trellis to be easy and, because you pound rebar into the ground to hold the conduit, it is super strong, too.

I really believe it is the easiest and probably most cost effective way to go. Mel has step by step instructions in his book. Best wishes with your sfg!

I guess we will see the if you win the contest for least handy. I will try and make these trellises. Maybe I can talk my hubby into helping me.

going to hit the $ store in the morning to see if they have any hula hoops for my maypoll wish me luck.

I plan on using a trellis made out of just pvc pipe and netting. I was going to put the rebar in the ground and then put the pvc over it. Do you all think that would be strong enough? They will be 10 feet high and 5 feet wide. In years past, I've just grown up a flimsy metal tomato square cage and then extended with bamboo. Maybe if I tied the pvc to wooden stakes to give it even more support?

lisa...I'm not sure that's going to work. Unless you put together some really fancy and expensive ordeal, it's got to be strong enough to hold 30+ pounds of fruit being held 5 feet in the air. Use the 1/2" electrical conduit-it's cheap, very strong, and lasts forever.

GWN-that hoop-house of yours looks fantastic

I built mine out of PVC and got some flack doing it. But I got some 6 foot 1/2" rebar and put them 3' in the ground. My span is 8 foot and I have 3 legs supporting it and also installed a 6' piece of 1/2" rebar on the top piece of PVC making it very stable to hang netting.

If it looks a little unstable I will U clamp the legs to the SGBes...

Floyd1440, I would love to see pictures. I'm not always real good at picturing things.

We used some kind of small clamp to clamp cattle panel pieces in 90 degree angles to make pens and a trailer top (for hauling dairy goats), but I think they only work panel to panel.

Morganfam7; I would like to show you my garden and frames via pictures but could you take me through how to post a picture?

I would LOVE to share what I have done and get critizised if I do wrong thinks via pictures so could be kind enough to take me through the process step by step if you have time.



Thanks

Floyd

Hi Flloyd,

If you're using Windows, and your pictures are on your computer, these instructions should help you.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t129-how-to-post-a-picture-located-on-your-computer

Holler if you get stuck.