Wanting to build a cattle panel arched trellis but don’t know how? Let us teach you step by step how to build a beautiful garden arbor, spoiler alert it’s way easier than you think.
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What’s The Difference Between A Pergola And A Arched Trellis
A trellis is typically a latticework built to support climbing plants or vines, pergolas have posts supporting an open, roof-like structure most commonly used to shade a walkway or a deck. They can be used to support climbing plants too.
What Is A Cattle Panel Trellis?
A cattle panel trellis is a wire fence panel that is bent into an arch shape to grow plants in your garden. These make sturdy DIY arched trellises to grow your vegetables or even flowers vertically.
What Can You Grow On A DIY Arched Trellis
The list of what you can grow on an arched trellis is nearly endless, this is one of my favorite garden arbors to use (the second being our DIY Obelisk Trellis).
Some ideas for what to grow on your DIY Arched Trellis:
- Pole beans
- Peas
- Small melons
- Gourds
- Small pumpkins
- Spaghetti Squash
- Butternut Squash
- Lufa
- Cucumbers
- Personal Size Watermelon
- Climbing Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Roses
- Sweet Peas
- Black-Eyed Susan Vine
- Clematis
- Morning Glories
- Cup and Saucer Vine
- Cypress Vine
- Moonflower
- Trailing Nasturtium
- Mina Lobata
Building A DIY Arched Trellis
What You Need To Build A Arched Trellis
Depending on where you put your arched trellis you may also need:
- Post driver or hammer
- T-post
- or heavy-duty metal staples
Where To Buy Cattle Panels
You can find cattle panels at your local farm supply store like Tractor’s Supply or The Farmer’s CO-OP to use for trellises. Typically they come in 8′ foot panels or 16′ that can be bent to fit in the back of a truck or trailer.
How To Build A DIY Arched Trellis
There are a couple of ways to build an arched trellis out of cattle panels, one of the easiest would probably is the method we use with our raised beds. You’ll need a helper to get your cattle panel into position for your arched trellis. Start by pressing the end of the cattle panel against one of your raised beds while letting it rest on the ground. Take the other end of the cattle panel and bend it into position securing it against another raised bed to create an arched trellis. Secure with the heavy-duty staples and a hammer *if you don’t get really strong winds this shouldn’t be necessary*.
Free Standing Arched Trellis
Another way to build one of these DIY cattle panel arched trellises would be to bend it into position and instead of securing it against raised beds pound t-stakes into the ground on the outside of it to hold it in place. You can use zip ties to secure it to the pole or just let it rest against them.
Alternate Way Of Making A Cattle Panel Arch
Don’t have a way to get a 16-foot cattle panel home to create one of these beautiful arched trellises? You can create a DIY arched arbor out of 8-foot cattle panels instead and secure them at the top with slats of wood to create more of a gothic arch in your garden.
Where To Put Your Arched Trellis In The Garden
Now that you know how to build a DIY arched arbor where should you put it? We’ve found they do the best with the arch facing east-west so the sun goes over the top and they don’t shade out vegetables growing on either side of the trellis.
Tips For Growing Vertically On An Arched Trellis
- If you do a free-standing arbor make sure to keep the weeds under control so they don’t choke out your plats growing on the trellis.
- Want to brighten them up? Paint them a cheerful color. This may also help if your plants are getting scorched on them.
- You may need to help peas or beans begin to climb on the trellis, just gently weave them through until they start doing it on their own.
- Worried about the ends of the trellis? Use a pool noodle to cover them, or trim out the edges with wood.
Did we answer your questions on how to build a DIY arched trellis? If not drop them in the comments and we will do our best to answer them.
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