You can grow your own food. We can help.

Inexpensive and easy to install garden arbors

Dec 31, 2010

I visited my aunt's garden recently and was inspired by these arbor/trellis structures that she's made. They are made from rebar that she purchased from Home Depot and roll fencing.

I have a young grape vine that I need support for, and I think something similar to this would work out very well for me! I'll be rigging up something for it over the coming season.

I have a collection of garden structures on a page on my blog should you be looking for more inspiration! These are great projects to accomplish while there's not much else to do.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR, amy manning

I'm a suburban homesteader (or at least attempting to be!).

Comments

Joel LeGrand

Sat, 01/01/2011 - 12:30

This is an old debate with many farmers, to use metal or not to use metal. Mild sreel or even the costly stainless steal, that it will last for years, if not forever. But if by chance lighting strikes the arbor, then the plant could die. With wooden post, untreated you could get 15-25 years, treated 25-30 years, but the lighting strike may not harm the plant. I have no data to prove or disprove the debate. I know of muscadine vines which still bear 16 years after the planter past away. they are on metal cables between metal post. I also know a vineyard owner who planted 200 acre of muscadines on treated wooden post. Price plus lighting was his reason for going with wooden post. I have to put up three vines this spring & am still having the debate myself.

amy manning

Sat, 01/01/2011 - 12:33

Never even considered the lightning thing. Hmmm. What are the chances, do you think, of the metal being hit by lightning?

Joel LeGrand

Sat, 01/01/2011 - 12:57

It is random, no one knows. My brother in law had a arbor made of 4 post & a square frame, with concreate wire in the frame A then looped over the walk way like your arbor to frame B. It never was hit, in the many years he had it. Maybe I am over thinking this lighting thing. But it is worth a thought or two, before dismissing.

Joel LeGrand

Sat, 01/01/2011 - 13:05

I love the arbor, it has that home made folkes look that shows a hands on gardener lives here. In the debate, I forgot to say how I like the arbor in its self. Good job to you & your Aunt.