Trellis gardening questions.

[janedoe]

I'm going to try trellis gardening on a large scale this year. I'm planning to plant peas, beans, squashes, cucumbers and tomatoes.

My husband built these frames a few years ago. We have five and can build more with the materials we have on hand. We meant to use them as chicken runs but that didn't work out. I picked up clearance nylon trellis netting at the end of last year so I put that on thinking that I would leave the frames in the orientation in the pic and have other things in the far end and use the frame itself as a raised bed. But I'm looking online and some of these trellised plants are ridiculously tall. The frames are 4' x 8'. Should I be standing them on end instead? Maybe do a box configuration instead with two of them on each? Is eight feet too high? And which plants need to grow at an angle instead of straight up?

Clearly I'm overthinking this but would appreciate any advice.

[Mr Kleb]

We trellis tomatoes on our 6' chain link fence and our chocolate cherry tomatoes overtop the fence. The tomatoes they *might* do better with the taller support. We grew beans (I think) up two 5' plus tipi-like trellises. This year we are growing peas on nylon cord strung between the fence and a 30" fence post and will see how that works.

Looking at the photo I like the construction with extra bracing at the corners. Gives me an idea how to rebuild the garden gates.

[janedoe]

We trellis tomatoes on our 6' chain link fence and our chocolate cherry tomatoes overtop the fence. The tomatoes they *might* do better with the taller support. We grew beans (I think) up two 5' plus tipi-like trellises. This year we are growing peas on nylon cord strung between the fence and a 30" fence post and will see how that works.

Looking at the photo I like the construction with extra bracing at the corners. Gives me an idea how to rebuild the garden gates.

I didn't think to use chain link. We have extra panels from a kit we bought for the goats. I'll have to incorporate those.

[Labradorks]

I always grow my cucumbers on a trellis!

[Mr Kleb]

I didn't think to use chain link. We have extra panels from a kit we bought for the goats. I'll have to incorporate those.

I think our tomatoes did well with the sturdy support the chain link provided.

[POPTOP]

Those look fantastic. If you're going to do peas, get them in the ground soon. They like a cool weather start. I'm waiting for the rain to stop in a day or two to start sweet peas. I've found that climbing plants will use just about any height you give them. If putting in a box-like configuration, make sure there is plenty of air flow and sun that can get through to the center.

For a couple of years I've grown pole beans in 5 gallon buckets against a 5 foot fence. They "leap" from there the short distance to the lilac bush. I've also done mini pumpkins the same way. If you keep up with any climbing plant, you can direct them the way you want them to go.

[Jollymolly]

My Squash and cucumber grew far beyond the 8 foot trellis grabbed onto a nearby tree and had them droping down from around 12 feet high. If there is nothing for the vine to grab onto you should be fine. Tomatos and beans,peas and others were fine with 6 feet

[Snowshoe]

We found the climbers to be contrary. No matter where we put the trellis/fencing the vines reached out the other direction to the afternoon sun and had to be constantly told where they should go. We gave up on most and chose bush plants instead, where we could. But they still climb a bit.

[JackK]

I use a trellis for cucumbers and tomatoes and think yours will work just fine. I've found the cucumber plants will climb to the top of the trellis pretty quickly. Then I just groom them to come down the other side. It worked really well last year and my trellis doesn't look to be quite as tall as your frames. Good luck.

[Jeff]

My vote is experiment the first year.

I have always wondered this. Every climbing plant I have had grows to the max height you give it. So if you give it a 4 ft climb it grows 4 ft, if you give it 8 ft climb it grows 8 ft. That is if the plant can grow that high. However, what I have noticed is that the abundance of bloom is at the top where it quits growing up. So that's why I wonder. does the plan spent most of the growing season growing up, then it blooms and produces fruit, or given a shorter height to climb does that allow the plant to quit climbing and focus on fruit production. So I have always wondered this.

So for example when you look at Hemi's favorite spot in the picture below, which I know is a different plant, but still this is what I see with others. All the abundance of growth is at the top. I cut that top off every single year, the botoms and lower parts never fill out. So the plant climbs then it spreads out and the flower and fruit is produces where is spreads. So I say experiment, do a section with them growing 8' high and do a section with them growing 4' high and see what happens. My guess from what I have seen is the 4 ft might be bushier and produce more fruits and veggies.