How to Maintain a Trellis

A garden trellis can be a lovely accent in your backyard. With a trellis, you can train climber plants such as clematis, bougainvillea, honeysuckle or a number of other plants to add beauty to your landscape. But don't forget about maintenance. Whether you choose metal or wood, there are things you can do to extend the life of your trellis.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Metal Trellises

1. Choose a metal trellis if you're hoping for a low-maintenance garden ornament. While your up-front cost may be more, metal may age more gracefully.
2. Select a powder coating paint for your trellis, which will last longer.
3. Allow the trellis to develop a natural patina or rust as it's exposed to the elements, or follow the rusting procedure below.

Rusting Procedure for Metal Trellises

4. Combine one cup of hydrogen peroxide, one cup of vinegar and one teaspoon of salt.
5. Put mixture in a spray bottle.
6. Put the trellis on a protective tarp in an open, safe area in your yard, away from plants, children and pets.
7. Spray the trellis completely with the mixture.
8. Let the mixture sit on the trellis for one hour or more, depending on how "aged" you want your trellis to be.
9. Rinse the mixture off with water.

Wood Trellises

10. Select a high quality wood to start with, such as cedar or mahogany, and your arbor will last for many years.
11. Treat an unfinished wood trellis with a water repellent/fungicide sealant to guard against shrinking and warping and resist mildew and moisture.
12. Choose stain instead of paint if you want a little color, as it will be difficult to repaint the arbor as plants begin to grow up the trellis. You can find latex or oil-based stain in a variety of colors.

Other Considerations

13. Choose your site for installation carefully. It can be difficult to relocate a trellis once the climbing plants are established in your landscape.
14. Make sure the trellis is anchored securely in the ground.
15. Check periodically to see how the trellis is holding up under the weight of the vines, especially wisteria, which can be very heavy.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the mixture away from your eyes.

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