Tomato plants bear delicious results but are a lanky vine often too weak to carry the weight of their fruit. Stakes may do the trick, but a twig trellis is easy to make and a great way to use branches from a recent pruning job. Estate manager and arborist, Phil Fournier creates all sorts of decorative designs both for work and home.
Materials:
Branches and twigs
Nails (use up thin scrap nails from ¾-inch to 2-inch)
Tie wire
Tools:
Pencil and paper (for designing)
Hammer
Tree loppers and hand pruners
Hand saw
Square
Wire snips
Pliers
Gloves
Directions:
1. Make a quick sketch of trellis design. Collect branches and twigs based on sketch. While collecting, keep in mind the pieces that will need to be flexible.
2. On worktable, lay out the two vertical branches parallel to each other and desired distance apart to create width of trellis. The thicker ends should be facing the same direction.
3. Orient the bottom cross piece about 24-inches from the thick ends of the vertical branches. Center and square the cross piece on the vertical branches. Nail the cross piece in place. Orient the top cross piece just below where the arch begins (this depends on the size of branch material and the finished size of trellis). Check that the structure is square and nail the top cross piece in place. Wrap each joint with a piece of wire tightened with pliers. As the wood begins to shrink tighten the wire a few more twists. Turn the trellis over and hammer down any nails that are poking through the branches.
4. To make the arch it is helpful to have the extra hands of a friend. Bend the left to the right and the right to the left and secure them in place with twisted wire. Wire the entire arch about every 8 to 10 inches.
5. Nail a center vertical piece into place at the two cross pieces and wire it where it crosses the arch. Attach decorative pieces as per design. Trim the ends that extend beyond the vertical branches so they all have an even overhang.
Special thanks:
Phil Fournier
www.philfornier.com
