This Simple DIY Garden Trellis Makes Any Planter Box Look Modern And Chic

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If you love growing cucumbers, snow peas, or other vining vegetables in a raised garden bed, a trellis is a smart addition to your setup. It encourages vines to grow upward, giving you more ground-level space for other plants. Vertical growth also increases air circulation and access to sunlight, which helps keep pests and pathogens at bay. You can create a trellis from old mattress springs or cleverly repurposed tent poles, but one of the easiest methods involves buying a piece of metal fencing from a home improvement store. In addition to being weather resistant, metal fencing often features clean lines that help your yard look fresh and modern.

Metal fencing is incredibly sturdy, so you can use it for growing small pumpkins, melons, and other crops that have some heft to them. Since the vines have plenty of room to spread out, they're likely to reward you with a bountiful harvest. Not a vegetable gardener? A trellis can still be beneficial. It's an ideal way to support grapevines, ivy, and vining flowers such as clematis.

To prepare your garden for a trellis, measure the back side of your raised bed. You'll want to select a fence piece that's roughly the same length and attach it to this wall of the bed. This prompts your vines to use the entire rear edge of the garden, making room for upright plants — lettuce and broccoli, for example — in the front and middle.

Once you've found fencing that's the right size, you can modify it to help it remain upright and reflect your personal style.To achieve a streamlined look, TikTok user @ravenelysetv removed two protruding pieces of from one end of the fencing using a jigsaw blade designed for cutting metal. This type of blade is available in the Autsmal 20-piece universal jigsaw blade set. She then used two protruding pieces on the other end like stakes to help the trellis stay in place. 

If your fencing doesn't have stake-like pieces, you could anchor it with rebar stakes such as those in the NHZ 16-inch J-hook ground anchors 8-pack or attach large screws to the back wall of the planter box and balance the trellis on top of them. If you don't have access to these tools and materials, try making a garden trellis from a broken hose and a simple wooden frame. This requires a wire cutter and zip ties or industrial-strength staples.

To give your trellis a unique look, consider painting it one or more of your favorite colors. Outdoor spray paint designed for use on metal patio furniture is a solid choice. Be sure to clean your fencing and let it dry completely before applying paint. For extra flair, affix some small decorations to your trellis. A Protecker owl decoy can give your garden personality while scaring off squirrels.