Protecting my gardens from animals and growing vertically: trellises
It was the last week of July and I had brand new cattle panels to use as garden trellises. This was too late to allow plants to mature before the first predicted frosts for my area, but I had to try them out.
Just for an experiment and to see plants growing on my new trellises, I planted some tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans from seed.
The purple beans, as they grew, had the most loveliest flowers displayed on the trellises. I was hooked!!
The cucumbers started out well, but soon were turning yellow. I had planted them in grow bags and I think lacked needed nutrients. Next year, I will be planting them directly in the ground, and we try again.
I did harvest about a dozen cucumbers and they were yummy. The beans also provided some meals but I had wanted to get some dry beans out of them for winter soups. Time-wise, this wasn’t going to happen this year.
Tomatoes? The 70 days just wasn’t enough time and, here in October, I have them covered and they are surviving the frosts we have had for the past week. I know they aren’t going to ripen on the vine but I just haven’t had time to harvest them. So, as I write this, there they sit.
Overall - I love the trellises but I have to plant near the first of July, next year, to give everything time to mature.
What to grow on garden trellises
Any plant that you want to provide support to
Climbing plants and vines
Indeterminate tomatoes (generally, vine plants) Note: tomatoes are not climbers and, so, will need to be manually attached to the trellis)
Beans
Peas
Cucumbers
Squash (heavy fruits may need supports such as little hammocks attached to the trellises)
Watermelon
Flowers such as climbing roses
What can you use for garden trellises
Metal fencing (large spaced mesh)
Cattle panels
Bamboo stakes
Tree branches
Bed and mattress frames (wood/metal)
Be creative!
Why use a garden trellis
Growing vertically used less space
More airflow around the plants
Hanging fruit is not damaged or contorted by being on the ground
Easier to tend to plants (less bending over and less weeds in the reduced space needed)
