How to Build a Tomato Trellis for Easy Harvesting
How to Build a Tomato Trellis in Your Garden for Easy Harvesting.
After struggling with tomato cages that bend, tip over in heavy wind, are too small for overambitious tomato plants, and don’t allow easy access to the fruit inside, I decided to find another way to grow tomatoes.
Trellis for most vine plants.
Here is an easy way to trellis tomatoes, beans, peas, squash, and any other vine plant.
I purchased six 6-foot metal stakes (t-bars – usually used for fencing) and 20 feet of concrete reinforcing mesh 5 feet wide with 6” squares. These items are available at local hardware and building supply stores. The metal stakes cost around $6 each, and the mesh is usually sold by the foot for approximately $1 per foot.
My set-up of 20 feet of trellis cost about $60 for the planting of 12-14 tomato plants, compared to about $40 for 42″ tall tomato cages. It’s a little more money up front, but is extremely sturdy and adaptable to a wider range of plants.
Before installing the trellis, I created a small mound of dirt 3 feet wide by 20 feet long that I plant my tomatoes in. It’s a lot easier to do the major soil preparation before installing the trellis.
I pounded the metal stakes into the ground with a mallet until about a foot of the stake was below ground level and was firmly planted. The depth required for stability will depend on your soil. I planted another stake every four feet (six feet might be fine) along my tomato bed.
Attaching Mesh to Posts.
Using some wire and/or bending the first section of mesh a little, I attached the end of the mesh to the first stake and began unrolling the mesh. Two people may be needed to handle a large roll of the mesh. Alternately, the mesh can be purchased in 5 foot by 10 foot flat panels that may be easier to handle. More wire was used to attach the mesh to each stake in the row.
I plant my tomatoes a little less than two feet apart, since I will be encouraging them to grow up more than out. Plant them fairly close to the mesh for trellising. As they grow, remove the lower leaves and use some twine to tie the plants up to the mesh. As the branches get longer, it will be possible to weave them into the mesh, alleviating the need to use twine. Continue to prune back excess stem and leaf growth until the plants start to produce flowers. Too much foliage will lessen fruit production.
This method of trellising encourages an espalier-type growth, allowing more sunlight to get to the plant and providing easy access to the ripening fruit. It is easier to check for pests and disease, since there is less hidden foliage and fruit than in the caged plants.
In addition, the plant covered trellis provides a living fence to offer privacy and to block out unwanted sights during the growing season. Moreover, this ‘structure’ doesn’t have to come down for the winter. It can stay up all year long if you want it to and will get a lovely patina that goes so well with your farming decor. 
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Nice idea
Wouldn’t you be just as well building a chain-link fence? Or is this method cheaper?
According to this site, http://www.doityourself.com/stry/chainlinkfaq –>
4′ high residential galvanized fence system costs between $3.50 to $5.00 per lineal foot, while the 6′ high commercial systems start out at $10.00 to $12.00 per lineal foot.
My 20′ long x 5′ tall example would run $70 to $100 for the cheap stuff compared to the twenty bucks I spent.
Plus, you can take up the mesh a lot easier to till and mow than dealing with a fence — less of course you already have a fence (or your neighbor’s) or the parts just lying around.
In my case, I didn’t have either.