Creating trellises is a great way to increasing the productivity of your garden. By creating a structure for tall and climbing plants to creep up, ground space is decreased for the plant, the vegetables stay cleaner, and they provide shade for heat sensitive plants and extend the season for crops like lettuce.
This is one option for creating trellises that is free. This is made with wild grape vine pulled from the tree and is designed to be attached to stakes, but it can be designed to be free standing. The tools that you will need are a good sturdy cutter, and a way to hold the ends in place while you are working.
Cut and pull the vine from the tree in as long of lengths as you can. The frame vine should be about 10 - 12 feet long and about 1.5 inches in diameter.
Bend the frame vine and secure the ends in place. This works best if the frame vine is of uniform diameter and free of weak spots.
The vine that I started with had a large branch vine. I started weaving with that vine. Loop over and under in such a way as to hold the frame vine in shape. With grape vine, I use a random weaving pattern to form the structure.
I work from the largest vines to the smallest, weaving over and under. I choose each placement of the vine is such a way as to increase the strength and stability of the weave.
Two vines woven in.
Three vines woven in.
As I am weaving, I place the vines in the best way to lock the weaving in place and stabilize the frame.
With four vines woven in and the frame shape is stable. The weave needs to be tightened up. I'll work a couple of more vines in to create a firm weave.
The trellis is done and laying flat to dry. I can cut and work in another vine if it loosens up too much as it dries. My studio manager is inspecting the work. She seems to approve.
Tips: Do not try to force grape vine. It is very flexible and elastic, but a bit temperamental. Work with it instead of fighting it. The vine that I started with had a branch point in an inconvenient place that created an interesting shape to the trellis. This can be fixed by trimming one side, raising one side when it is mounted, or just going with unique. Last tip, the best way to learn random weave is by playing with random weave.