# My Survival Garden Trellis Update Pics



## DENALI

I added some trellising to my garden over the weekend. I have more to add but this is the start of it. You can see the overall garden layout in this thread http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=353793 The trellis system is based off of simple PVC and cattle panels to make a modular, easily modifiable, movable component system. 


The basic start is these simple 1 1/4" schedule 40 PVC sleeves that are set in every 3rd block and cemented in. All i did was place it where i wanted it then dumped in some dry quick crete about half way up into the second block then topped it off with water and let it setup. No mixing needed. Each sleeve is 15 inches tall so they are just below the top of the blocks.










This picture shows how i simply set a cattle panel along one edge of my garden where i have a single row of peas growing. I used 1" schedule 40 PVC pipe that is 5' tall and inserted it into the 1 1/4" sleeves that i previously cemented in place and then tied the cattle panel to them. If you are in a windy area (which i am) you can simply drop in a piece of 3/4 conduit in each one to stiffen them up so they do not sway in the wind. 










This is just another view of the above










This is my green bean bed. The back half is Kentucky wonder pole beans so i constructed this trellising system for them. I haven't installed all the twine yet but you can get the idea from the rows i have already done. Again i used 1" schedule 40 PVC with various "T" and elbow fittings to construct this and simply inserted each unit into the already installed 1 1/4" sleeves that were previously cemented in place. Also because i am in a windy area i dropped in a 5' chunk of 3/4 electrical conduit in each one to stiffen them up so they don't sway in the Kansas wind. After i installed each unit i laid an 8' section of cattle panel on the bottom support and on top and ran twine up and down between them for the beans to grow up on. If i had planted the whole bed to pole beans i would have added the rest of the supports and used a whole cattle panel on top and bottom but the front half of this bed is bush beans. For reference, from the top of the blocks these are 82" tall and the bottom cattle panel is 12" above the blocks. This setup is also ideal for peas if you plant a whole bed with them rather than a single row like i did this year.





















This picture shows a little better how the 1" PVC slips into the 1 1/4" sleeves as well as how the twine is strung.


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## AR Aaron

Wonderful idea. I have been toying with my cement block garden this year. I am also in the process of planning a greenhouse Hoop System for mine with 1/2" PVC Hoops, but planed to take them down in the summer so stuff wouldn't cook. Now I have this to go off of.

I am thinking this concept might work for tomato cages as well, I have a planter similar to yours that is just mato's and herbs. I think it would work your concept for tomato cages too maybe just add a rung a little higher than your lowest one.


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## shanzone2001

Fabulous!!!


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## Txsteader

Very clever!! And so tidy. Would love to see more pics as the season progresses. :goodjob:


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## garnetmoth

lovely! have a great season!


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## Pamela

Your garden is wonderful. Can't wait to see pictures of it at the end of summer. Wish mine was like that....something to work on....


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## PrincessFerf

Very cool... thanks for all of the pictures!


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## AnnieinBC

Wow, it looks so wonderful!


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## FarmersDaughter

Very nice. Thanks for sharing your ideas!


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## ronbre

your trellises are totally beautiful..you did such a wonderful job


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## peri_simmons

Kudos to a truly ingenious garden, I love it!


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## MN Gardener

Great garden! Come to my house next!


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## ChristieAcres

It looks great! Love the neatness, too. When those green beans start producing, if they grow like mine do, I am curious how the harvesting will go. I do French Intensive & Sq FT... For Peas, I just use fencing, so I can easily pick from both sides. Would like to move that into the middle of the bed it is in right now, well next year... For Beans, we use towers made of young trees we thinned. That way I can pick from all sides, but we had to lower them this year. 

Please keep posting, great pics!


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## jad44

AR Aron - use the same concept for your tomatoes as in the picture for beans... just tie up the tomato plants to the cow panels... works great! no stooping to pick tomatoes. not rot on tomatoes from laying on the ground.


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## DENALI

lorichristie said:


> It looks great! Love the neatness, too. When those green beans start producing, if they grow like mine do, I am curious how the harvesting will go.
> 
> Please keep posting, great pics!


Well i sort of expect a tangled mess  but should still be easy enough to harvest. We can easily reach in to the center from either side to get to all of the beans. However with the fertility of my soil i do believe the beans will reach the top and "ball up" somewhat before all is said and done. As a "because i can" experiment i have constructed a 24 foot tall "bean tower" that i will be erecting over a smaller separate plot of kentucky wonder pole beans. I fully expect they will make it to the top before the season is over. Will i pick them? Well probably only to the height that i can reach, but i might have access to a bucket truck so you never know!


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## DENALI

Since i brought up my "bean tower" in the above post here is a picture of the base that i constructed. These are for my tomato cages as well as for in this instance my bean tower. The cages are attached to these and if you notice there are legs that go down into the blocks. These are designed to slip into the same 1 1/4" PVC sleeves that i utilize for the rest of my integrated structures for the garden. Wherever i plan to place a tomato plant i will install one of these across the bed and cement in the sleeves at each corner. This allows me to simply lift each tower out when the season is over and set it into the next bed for next years tomato plants (4 year rotation for night shade family). You may also notice the half of a chain link welded to each corner. This is to run support cables from the base to the cages. For tomato cages there will be one cable from each corner and for my bean tower experiment there will be 3 from each corner plus 3 additional guide wires that will run to deep driven t-posts out in the yard for additional support against the wind.


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## margoC

that's awesome! I also can't wait to see it full of beans!


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## Laura Zone 5

This is not only very cool, but very very informative to a rookie!! THank you for sharing your ideas in photos. It is helpful!!


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## frankva

Bump. "pvc" was the search term if you lose it.


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## Laura Zone 5

Thank you so very much!!!


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## Laura Zone 5

OK.
Question.
I have 3 x 10 boxes
How many San Marzono tomato plants should I put in each box?
I am looking seriously into do this type of trellising.....but not sure how many plants is TOO many?? I want to get the most that I can out of the bed, but do not want to over crowd.....

HELP!!
Thanks!!


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## Jokarva

That's exactly the sort of setup I want at our retirement house in NC - raised concrete block beds around our driveway area with cattle panel fence/trellis. Now I have a better idea of how to accomplish it - thanks!


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## ChristieAcres

Pics of what it looks like now? Would love to see your progress and end results


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## Kstornado11

Very cool! Thanks so much for sharing the pics, I also look forward to seeing it grow!


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## Laura Zone 5

bump!


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## suitcase_sally

No more pictures?


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## DENALI

suitcase_sally said:


> No more pictures?


No not really, we had 2 bouts of large hail here this summer so it pretty much destroyed all i had planted. The only thing that really made it was my potatoes and one tomato plant. I did replant bush beans and more fall potato's. I am going to put my bush beans in a tunnel today using the pvc system so i may take some pictures of that.


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## suitcase_sally

That's too bad about your loss. Your pictures have given me inspiration, though.


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## DENALI

suitcase_sally said:


> That's too bad about your loss. Your pictures have given me inspiration, though.


I plan to expand the system for next year and at least double the garden area. Hopefully it wont hail me out again.


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## Danaus29

Dh was wondering, why the base layer of patio blocks underneath it all?

I think it's lovely. Sorry you got hailed out. We got it pretty bad too back in May.


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## DENALI

Danaus29 said:


> Dh was wondering, why the base layer of patio blocks underneath it all?
> 
> I think it's lovely. Sorry you got hailed out. We got it pretty bad too back in May.


Actually thats not patio block. Its an abandoned cement slab. I had a choice, rent a jack hammer or do something with it so this is what came of it and it was a lot less work than a jack hammer


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## Danaus29

Ok. Makes sense. I've thought about lining pots up on a slab but unfortunately have no slab on which to line them. Very neat idea.


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## Laura Zone 5

Planning my garden for next year.....today.....wanted to get a second look at the trellis'.

This is such a great idea!


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## Homesteader at Heart

Great job on the raised beds. I understand that yours are build on an old slab. If I were to do the same on the ground, do you think it would be necessary to pour a footer for the blocks?


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## COSunflower

Thanks for the pics - I got some GREAT ideas for this year's garden!!!


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## DENALI

Homesteader at Heart said:


> Great job on the raised beds. I understand that yours are build on an old slab. If I were to do the same on the ground, do you think it would be necessary to pour a footer for the blocks?


No not at all! just lay down ground cloth first to keep anything from growing up through it then lay your blocks right on top of that. You can put this type of bed over anything and it doesnt have to be level or an even surface.


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## anette

just finding this, its great. lots of ideas in my head now...


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## MOgal

Is your garden laid out by Len Pense's methods? I can't afford to take his workshops but would like to buy his book. Unfortunately, since I first looked at it, it's gone up about $8!

Beautiful layout and it looks so organized, easy to use. I love your turning a negative into a positive by using that slab as a base!


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## Laura Zone 5

Do you use this trellis system with your tomatoes, and if so, do you have photos?


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## The Bunny Ranch

You're garden is too pretty! 

Good job and thanks for sharing your ideas!


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## Laura Zone 5

bump!!


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## Laura Zone 5

bump!!


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## Our Little Farm

I really like your trellis idea. I use cattle panels alone held with t-posts for my pole beans. You can make arches out of them too so the beans hang down for easy picking. 

I am thinking that the idea of putting a pvc sleeve in a concrete block would also work very well for an instant temporary hoop or shade house. You could put the blocks down the rows needed to be kept warm or shaded, attach pvc hoops to the anchor sleeves, and then add fabric or plastic and use clips to keep that in place. 

Has anyone ever done this?


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## Halfway

Very inspiring all around and awesome and innovative ideas for the trellises.


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## TNnative

Wow! Can't wait to see this year's pics.


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