GRuB > Kitchen Garden Project > Build Your Own Garden

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If you are also building a trellis, you should first start by comparing the length of your four 2" x 2" s. Most pieces that are supposed to be a certain length tend to vary from each other by an inch or so. Find the two that are closest in length to each other and set those aside for now - those will be the horizontal pieces. As for the other two pieces, which will be your vertical pieces, find the end on each piece that is closest to a right (90 degree) angle on all sides. These ends will point upwards toward the sky. It's important to find the sides closest to a right angle so that your top horizontal piece will sit flat atop both vertical pieces.

Photo of KGP builder sawing wood for the trellis.

Take your tape measure and, starting at the end that will point upwards, measure six feet down each of the vertical pieces, mark it with your pencil and then saw it off at six feet. Your trellis doesn't have to be six feet tall - it could be eight feet, it could be five feet - but it is probably best if it is short enough so that you can both nail the top piece down and also tend to your vines at the top of the trellis. It should be short enough so that you can comfortably reach the top.

Photo of finished beds filled with soil.

Now you need to decide - if you haven't already - which bed you want to attach the trellis to. Its best if the trellis doesn't cast a shadow on your garden beds, allowing for the maximum amount of sunlight to reach your plants. If your garden beds are running east-to-west lengthwise, the best place to put the trellis is on the north side of your northern-most bed. If your beds run north-to-south lengthwise, try to figure out which side of your garden will get the most sun. For example, if you have a tree to the east of your garden beds, and nothing significant that will block the sun to the west of your beds, you should put the trellis on the east side, allowing it to get the afternoon sun from the west. Likewise, if something that will cast a shadow on your beds stands to the west, you should put your trellis on the west side so it can catch the morning sun from the east.

Photo of first vertical trellis piece attached to bed.

On the outside of the long side of the bed you're building the trellis on, measure 2 ft. from each end and mark it with your pencil. These spots are where you will nail your 6 ft. vertical pieces. You might want a friend to help you hold the wood in place as you nail. Drive one nail into the side of the bed, and then step back, or have your friend step back, and adjust the angle of the board so that it is as close to perpendicular with the ground as possible. When it is, then drive the second nail through. Repeat this step on the other end of the bed for the other vertical piece.

Photo of two vertical trellis pieces with top crossbar.

Once both vertical pieces are nailed onto the bed, now you can nail the horizontal pieces onto them. We usually start with the top one. To make sure that the nails go through the top piece easily, you might want to start pounding both the nails (one nail being pounded into each vertical piece) through the top piece while it's laying on the garden-bed frame, so that you can measure the spacing of the nails, making sure that on each end of the piece there is an equal length of board sticking out past each vertical piece. Pound the nails until it has almost come through the bottom. This helps you by getting the most difficult part of the pounding done in an easier position than standing on your tip-toes. Then place the board on top of the vertical pieces, lining it up, and pound the nails the rest of the way through into the vertical pieces. The top horizontal piece has a tendency to shimmy out of line as you nail it, so you might want to have a friend hold it down for you.

Photo of bottom crosspiece being nailed to trellis.

Now you can nail the bottom horizontal piece to the vertical pieces. Like with the top piece, make sure that on each side there is an equal length of board sticking out past each vertical piece. You'll need to nail the bottom piece high enough so that your roll of twine can fit between it and the top of your garden bed, so get your role of twine and see how much room you need. You'll probably need a friend to help you hold the wood in place as you nail. Repeat this step for the other side so that the bottom horizontal piece is parallel with both the top piece and the side of the bed.

Photo of twine being strung across trellis.

Now you can string the twine around both the horizontal pieces. Take the role of twine and tie the end of the strand onto the end of the bottom horizontal piece. Once it is tied, unroll the twine and wrap it around the horizontal pieces, going up and down and moving down the length of the trellis, spacing them about 4 to 8 inches apart, to your preference. Try to leave as little slack in the twine as you can, making it as tight as possible, but without putting too much stress on the structure. When you get to the end of the trellis, cut the twine so that you'll have enough excess so you can tie a knot around the horizontal piece you end up at. Once the knot is tied, cut off the excess twine.

There: your trellis -- and your garden -- is finished!

STEP 5: FINISHING UP -->