The Most Indestructible Trellis Ever, 2.0

Last year, I built what I thought was the Most Indestructible Trellis Ever (MITE). Made with electrical conduit pipe and trellis netting, it happily accommodated all the peas, beans, and cucumbers I could grow in my community plot and I spent less than $20 on it, total. It worked great, looked nice, was cheap, and I could disassemble it easily for the winter. My only complaint: The netting I used had only 1″ holes, so I couldn’t reach my hand through it  to prune or pick vegetables on the other side. Here’s what it looked like, early in the season:

This year, I scrapped the community plot because I didn’t have enough time to water—which is almost everyday in arid Denver—but I was eager to resurrect my Trellis. With upgrades, of course.

Introducing the Most Indestructible Trellis Ever 2.0, which is so strong, I’m confident I could grow watermelons and pumpkins on it. (Which I’m not planning on doing, but it’s that beastly.) All that stainless steal is just gorgeous.

If you’d like to construct your own MITE 2.0, here’s what you’ll need:

—Electrical conduit tubing, cut to your specs (I have two 6’ sections and one 4’ section)

—2 Conduit L-joints

—Concrete fence/grid (found in the concrete supplies section) OR trellis netting with big holes

—Rubber Mallet

—2 18-inch stakes or rebar

—Snips

—Zip-ties (not pictured, but get some sturdy ones)

—Screwdriver (Phillips)

How to construct it:

1. Measure the space you’d like for the trellis—height, width, and how high you’ll be positioning the actual grid or netting. (In my case, I was placing it above two pots that were 18 inches tall.) Plants like peas and beans can easily grow 6 feet tall, so err on the side of taller, rather than shorter.

2. Go to your hardware store and get your conduit cut to spec, and pick up the rest of your materials.

3. Assemble the conduit pieces into a U-shape, attaching the conduit together with the L-joints. Super simple. (If you’re using netting, which is another great option, it’s best to weave the individual pieces of conduit through netting before screwing them together).

4. Cut your concrete fence to fit the trellis with the snips—be sure to use a pair designed for thick-gauge wire.

5. Attach the fence to the conduit with the zip-ties. Use more, rather than less.

6. Drive your stakes into the ground with your rubber mallet, leaving about half the length above ground.

7. Thread your trellis onto the stakes. Using the rubber mallet, gently tap the conduit a bit into the ground for extra security.

8. Train your vegetables to grow onto trellis, enjoy bountiful goodies.

That’s all. Simple, cheap, and practical—the motto of the urban gardener.

Tags: Do It Yourself, urban gardening
Posted in Do It Yourself