Does your garden need a trellis? Yes! Here’s why.
This border garden in Buda, TX enjoys a combination of panel trellises and obelisks that support tomatoes and cucumbers.
So I love trellises so much I see them as an essential no-brainer. But as I’m writing this post, I’m realizing that, okay, maybe not. Maybe there are Texas vegetable gardeners who could get away without one. Since I’m all about exhaustively researching information and trying all the things so my clients don’t have to, I started thinking… What type of kitchen gardens don’t need a trellis installed? Quickly it comes back to my title, that yes, just get one. Install a trellis yourself or have someone do it. Gardens that do not “need” one (I put that in quotes, because as you will read below, you may still want one), are gardens that are used for herbs or leafy greens only. If you know 100% that you will never grow a tomato or a pea in your life, than you do not want one. But the funny thing about gardening is you may change your mind later. And yes, you can add one, but planning and installing a trellis from the beginning saves a ton of time and headaches.
As I begin to envision a garden install with a client, I sort of put the entire design into 3 basic buckets. 1) The raised beds (where will they go, what will we plant, what materials and dimensions), 2) The borders and pathways (how do we clear and level the land, what gravel or stepping stones will we use) 3) and, the trellises (which type, how many). So ya see? Trellis installation is as important to a garden’s success as the design of the raised beds themselves. But why?
1) Most fun kitchen garden ingredients need a ton of space to grow.
If you plant tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, green beans, sweet potatoes or peas, you will have a lot of growth happening in a very short time. Forget the small $2 tomato cages! Unless you are growing a dwarf variety of tomato (most likely you are not), your tomatoes may grow easily to 6, 7, 9 or more feet high! Vining plants like cucumbers and melons will take up an entire garden very quickly is they do not have a space to go. These plants will easily get to 12 feet or more. Not having a trellis means you either cannot plant these fun things, or cannot to it very well.
This DIY trellis was built by one of our Kyle, TX clients in spring 2021. Her tomatoes and cukes were totally happy up this 10ft arch all spring and summer.
2) Trellises make the most out of your growing space.
The thing is, we are not farmers. We do not have 15 acres and large veggie garden plots. (Unless you do.) Most kitchen gardeners live in urban or suburban areas with less than 250 square feet of growing space. If this sounds like you, then you do not want that precious space filled with crawling vines and branches everywhere. Tie them up! Send them vertical!
3) Reduce garden pests and disease.
Vegetable gardens need to breathe. You want airflow around and between your plants. You don’t need a ton of gaping holes (ask me about my obsession with intensive planting and my rebellious scoffing at plant tag instructions for spacing!), but you do not want things crammed together, either. When you can train vines and branches up a trellis, you make more space. Plants should touch, they should be friends, as they do in nature. They do not like being sardines. When the airflow isn’t good, it can become a breeding ground for pests, and what’s worse, is that you may not be able to see this happening in time to do something about it. This crowded environment also paves the way for fungal and bacterial infections to take hold and spread quickly.
4) Encourage pollinators.
This trellis is lush with happy plants. We installed this for a client in South Austin in spring 2021. (It’s the same garden as the one you will see if you scroll below….)
If you have a pile of vines and branches all on top of each other, you may have flowers that are missed by the busy bees, which may harm your production. Of course, pollinators have an uncanny ability to find where the flowers are. But having them strung up a trellis like a super-wall-of-nectar-binge-fests will only help your results.
5) Increase the aesthetic appeal.
Trellises are functional as much as they can be beautiful. You can DIY a trellis, or order a very nice one. I love the phrase I heard once, “no more awkward gardens,” which is part of our mission. The kitchen garden should be a beautiful part of your landscape and a naturally aesthetic connection to your home. A trellis is a key element to accomplish this. Whether a grand arch between garden beds, or a modern panel trellis - or some combination of types, this feature can increase the appeal of not only your garden, but of your entire home’s appearance. After all, the garden should feed you, and also be a place of peace and beauty that you want to be around.
Yes, this is me. I had just installed this trellis for a client with the help of my assistant aka spouse. It was a big feat to accomplish and maybe I was just too garden-nerd-happy about it.
So for those with a DIY spirit, we have a digital guide in our shop here to build your own very large arch trellis like the one you see pictured to the left.
And as I wrote above, trellises are a key element in all our garden installations. If you’re ready to have a wonderful kitchen garden in your home, trellises and all, the first step is to book a consult.
Happy trellis climbing!