Topic: Do It Yourself Projects

[Patty S]

           Too Cheap To Buy A Trellis?

If you're anything like I am... ...the price of trellises (and arbors) in the stores will almost discourage you from planting anything that climbs!

Since there's nothing wrong with my arm... (or my hammer) & I have plenty of nails & wires in the garage, I decided to stop fussing about the prices & built my own... for nothing!!

We have a Quince bush that I keep cutting down every year, cuz it's ugly after the blossoms die off, & it gets so huge that it crowds our parking space.  Last year I thought it was a shame that those bendable, nearly straight sticks would just go to the burn pile, so I saved some out & made trellises out of them!
       

After I tacked them together with wire nails, my son pointed out to me that it would probably come apart as the wood dried ...so I had to backtrack & wire each of the junctions together with a light gauge wire.  Then they sat by the garden shed for a whole year, cuz I didn't have anything to use them for!  I'm trying Clematis this year, so I found a home for one of them... don't know yet what I'll use the other one for (I only leaned it on the house to take the pic), but I'm keeping an eye out for more climbers.

[Dianna]

They look good, Patty! That is a neat idea...

Are they sturdy enough? Can't wait to see the clematis growing up on the trellis...

You are quite the DIYer, aren't you? 

[Patty S]

Yes, I guess I am an avid DYIer, but only because those other people think their time is worth so darned much! I'm not blind, & can see that they make this kinda stuff out of materials that are mostly leftovers from bigger projects... unless we're talking steel trellises & arbors, & the only reason I don't DYI those things is cuz Keith won't let me weld!  (After 31 years, he still won't show me how to use the chain saw either, or I'd make those cool totem poles!)

Are they sturdy enough?

Sturdy enough for what?! I think they're sturdy enough for plants like Clematis, but I wouldn't use them for heavier things like Tomatoes... & if I catch a Grandkid trying to use my trellises or the arbor for a jungle gym, they'll be in big twubble!

I actually got the idea to make trellises out of those Quince branches when I kept running across ones that had the "Y" shaped branches!  They worked out perfect for the centers!

[patches]

Geesh, Patty, I don't mean to rain of your parade, but I don't think you realize that Clematis can get very large and heavy.  I once had a large, store-bought trellis collapse under the weight of one of my Clematis and it totally runied the plant.  I was heart-sick!    Here's a picture of the bottom part of a fan-shaped trellis I built a couple of years ago and you can see how much I reinforced it.  :-\     



Okay, Patty, I know you probably think that's over-kill for one tiny, little Clematis, but I wanted to play it safe and I'm glad I did.   Here is a picture of that Clematis, two years ago, when it was only half way up the trellis.     



Patty, I really love your trellises, but I think maybe you should reconsider using them for a Clematis.     The way I see it is that it's better to be well-prepared, instead of disappointed.  I feel there is too much time, money and love spent on raising a plant only to have it all go down the drain if you haven't thought it all out.       

[Patty S]

Oh Man! THAT must be what Dianna meant by "Is it sturdy enough?"!  I think I'd better rip some boards & get my hammer back out!  I'd LOVE to have a Clematis looking like yours, Patti, but I've never had one do that! Any one that I've ever had only got about 4' tall & had only about 5 blossoms on it at one time... what do you feed yours?   

If I don't get around to building a new trellis... I saw a picture of a Clematis that was as full as yours, & the person let it go as a ground cover.  Gorgeous!

[Peggy]

Oh, man that photo of the clementis is beautiful!  I thought when we first moved in here that the passion plant was a clementis, and I was soooo excited.

Patty, I love the idea of the arbor...that you made. I don't know about the sturdy part, I don't have a plant that needs one at the moment, but I do know that I took note of it the other day when I was there, and thought it had awsome character...and thought, I might try to make one of those myself some time. 

Last year I planted two grapes, and they did not live, but I think I will try another, because once they are going good, I'd love to try grapes for making arbors and stuff.

[patches]

Thanks Peggy, I love Clematis and have several different varieties.  The only trouble I have is keeping track of when they each need to be pruned.   :-\

Here is a picture of the ladder trellis I made last year.  Geesh, it's so sturdy that I think a person could actually climb on it.

[Bonnie]

I like the trellis too, Patti. It has a rustic look (like me). In fact all of them are good. I might steal an idea or two.

Bonnie

[patches]

Bonnie, I've always like the rustic look because it looks more natural.  I would like to make another one of these ladder trellises, but this time I would like to use a wood stain instead of painting it.  Of course, this will probably have to be a winter project since I doubt I'll be able to find the time right now. 

[Dianna]

Patty, Aunt Bonnie has given me some Cypress Vine seeds that I am sending to you. That trellis ought to be plenty sturdy enough for these vines. They look so light and feathery and they self-seed so you won't have to do it every year...

It will look so kewl planted on the trellis...

[Penny]

Great idea and those flowers are BEAUTIFUL!!!!