How to make a trellis for tomatoes with your own hands

Aerial cultivation can significantly save space on your backyard. In addition, air easily circulates between plants, which significantly reduces the risk of late blight and powdery mildew. Trellis in the open field receive more light. As a result, this planting increases the yield of the crop. Therefore, the construction of trellises should be approached very carefully.

How to make a frame for trellises

The frame must have high strength, since it will be affected by a lot of weight from the plant and fruits. If it is flimsy, then its service life will not be long. To achieve the desired result, it is recommended to use durable materials such as metal stakes and wooden blocks for the construction of the frame.

Installation of the structure begins with the installation of these same pegs. The process must be approached very carefully. The strength and stability of the structure will depend on this. And as a result, its service life. When installing the pegs, it is worth considering some features:

1. Calculate the required number of pegs. This takes into account the length of the bed. The distance between the pegs should not be more than 2 m. Otherwise, the stability of the trellis will be significantly reduced.
2. Calculate the length of the stake. Supports for tomatoes are immersed in the ground to a depth of at least 0.7 m. In this case, the size of the free part, which rises above the ground, should be more than 1.8 m. When solving this issue, it is worth considering the height of the plant, depending on the variety.
3. An important aspect is the thickness of the products. The outer pegs must be at least 5 cm in diameter. As for the intermediate elements, they may be somewhat narrower.
4. If wooden supports are used for the construction of trellises, then it is better to pay attention to hardwood products. They are additionally processed with linseed oil. This will protect them from negative environmental factors.

After the racks are installed, they are connected at the top and bottom with metal or wooden planks. The distance from the ground to the bottom strut is 20 cm. To give the structure strength, an additional strip of planks is installed in the middle of the racks. In the future, these elements are used to fasten the trellis net. The material for the frame is bought or made from scrap materials.

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Different forms of trellises: how to do it right

The classic version of do-it-yourself trellis for tomatoes is a rectangular design. It is quite simple to build such a trellis. In addition, it makes it much easier to care for germinating crops.Products in the form of a tent or a curbstone are no less popular.

Sloped surfaces that have a common horizontal support would be a good option. The advantage of this design is that the structure will require a small number of supports. Among other things, the trellis can serve as an original decoration for the garden and the personal plot.

The easiest option is to install one support, to which threads are tied in a circle. A cone made of plants will become an original element of landscape design.

A tomato trellis can be in the form of an inclined structure that rests on a wall, fence or other structure. The upper horizontal bar is attached directly to the supporting surface. Below, at a certain distance from the wall, small pegs are hammered. A mesh is stretched between them. Often this option is used for growing climbing plants.

Trellis mesh

When the frame is installed, proceed to fastening the trellis net. When choosing a material, you should pay attention to the following requirements:

• the cell should measure 10 x 10 cm;
• the material must be tough and durable;
• deformation of the mesh under the weight of plants is not allowed;
• the material must withstand moisture and ultraviolet radiation;
• environmentally friendly products are used for trellises.

A good option would be PVC mesh, which is available on the market in a wide range. Of course, such a quick solution has some disadvantages:

• low strength;
• the mesh sags under heavy weight;
• fragility.

In order for the trellis to serve for a long time, you should pay attention to homemade nets. Various materials are used for their manufacture.

Construction twine

The twine is widely used at the summer cottage to solve many problems. This inexpensive and readily available material is ideal for growing tomatoes. Of course, its service life is no more than one year. But, the material has some advantages. So, the twine can be removed along with the plants that have already faded. Making a trellis out of rope is quite simple.

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Making a trellis from twine is carried out in the following sequence:

1. Make a frame. For this, wooden blocks or metal plates are used.
2. Make hooks for fastening the construction twine. In a wooden frame, nails are hammered into the upper bar and bent. Wire hooks are made in metal frames.
3. Cut the rope into pieces, the length of which is 3 m. In this case, it is worth considering the distance between the hooks and the lower pegs or crossbar.
4. Attach the twine to the horizontal bars. To make the structure strong and easily withstand the load from plants, the rope is folded in half.

Thus, the construction of the simplest trellis from construction twine is carried out. The design is updated every year. Wire trellis netting is made in the same way. Of course, the process will take a lot of time and effort. But, the result will be a durable structure that will have high strength and durability.

Trellis in the greenhouse

Often, trellises are installed in greenhouses and other film covers. This option is considered more relevant than using the structure outdoors. The problem with greenhouses is limited space and relatively poor lighting. This makes it impossible to grow a normal crop. This issue can be solved using aerial cultivation. It is quite simple to build a trellis in a greenhouse, since its base will serve as a frame for the structure.

An inexpensive option is to build a trellis from wood rods. The lower end of the rod is stuck into the soil, and the upper end is attached to the partitions of the greenhouse. Also, the twine net is made of steel wire or twine.Tomato stalks are wrapped around them, which allows them to direct their growth.

Also, a trellis made of wooden and plastic slats is considered a good option, along which you can easily direct the tomatoes.