My wife and I are gearing up for this gardening season after last year's experience, which got a bit out of hand! I initially thought that the six-foot poles I bought would provide adequate support, but the tomatoes and cucumbers grew so vigorously that they overshadowed everything else, leaving our peppers in the dust. To avoid that chaos this year, I'm considering a larger trellis for better plant control. Has anyone used PVC pipe to create a budget-friendly string trellis? Would half-inch PVC be sturdy enough over a 4-6 foot span to support the weight of these plants? I'd appreciate any insights or experiences you all can share!
2 Answers
For my tomatoes, I use T-posts driven into the ground, with 8 ft 2x4s attached to each post. On top, I secure a 10 ft piece of metal conduit to tie strings to. For cucumbers, I go with cattle panels. It’s sturdy and practical!
I've tried using PVC pipe before, and honestly, I wasn't a fan. Regular PVC tends to break down in sunlight after a while. Instead, I recommend using cattle panels from Tractor Supply. They’re affordable and really durable, so they'll last you multiple seasons.
That's exactly what I was worried about! I was considering EMT instead, but I'm afraid of it rusting. I'm trying to stick to a tight budget this year, so I'm looking for something economical that will actually work.
I saw a demo on this method and I think I'm going to try it too! The T-posts are really cost-effective, and with EMT T connectors on top, I can easily remove them for storage at the end of the season without worrying about rust.