How to Build a Garden Trellis for Climbing Plants

Build it

1. 1Drive the end stakes — Pound metal or wooden stakes in deeply — deep enough to stay upright in wind. A 6-ft stake set ~1 ft deep gives ~5 ft of trellis height.
2. 2Space and add middle support — Set stakes about 5–6 feet apart. For a wider trellis, divide the width and add a stake in the middle.
3. 3Span the mesh — Suspend mesh or netting between the stakes and fasten with nails, staples, plastic locking ties, or wire. Use heavier mesh for larger-fruited, more vigorous crops.
4. 4Plant and train — Plant at the base at normal spacing, then weave the growing tips through the openings every few days as they climb.

Sources

Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.

• University of Minnesota Extension — Trellises and cages to support garden vegetables — Two vertical supports with mesh, stake depth and spacing, heavier mesh for vigorous crops, attachment methods, weaving vines, crops that benefit.
• Royal Horticultural Society — Vertical veg — Climbing/vine crops such as peas, beans, cucumbers, squash and melons grow well trained upward.

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