How to Make a Tipi Garden

Plant a tipi garden in your backyard. Attract birds, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Enjoy the shade while you play!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• 6 to 8 8-foot-long poles, about 2 inches in diameter
• Hemp rope, leather strips or bungee cords
• Several helpers to hold the poles
• Wet concrete mix
• Post hole digger
• Seeds for vine type plants such as squash, tomatoes, peas, beans, melons or cucumbers
• Seeds for herbs and flowers

Raising the Poles

1. Decide ahead of time whether or not you want to set the poles in concrete. Doing so will make a strong tipi that cannot be knocked over by wind or by being bumped against. You will not be able to move it around the yard once the poles are set in place, so be sure it is where you want it to be.
2. Tie poles together. Lay 3 poles on the ground so that the top 2 feet are crossed. Loop hemp rope or leather thongs around and between each pole to tie them firmly together. Loop around all 3 at the point where they cross several times, hangman's noose style, then tie the rope or things off. Hemp rope and leather will shrink when wet, making the poles harder to pull apart.
3. Cross the poles 2 feet from the top. With 1 helper holding each pole, raise the poles until the tipi is standing up. If you are going to set the poles in concrete, place 1 pole in each of 3 holes across from one another. Do not use holes that are next to each other or your tipi will fall down.
4. Loop rope around and between each pole. Insert remaining poles in the holes filled with concrete, between each of the first 3 poles. Use a step ladder to tie them to the other poles, being sure to loop the rope or leather thongs around and between each pole. Loop more rope around the point where the poles cross several times, hangman's noose style.
5. Wait for concrete to dry before planting your garden.

Plant Your Garden

6. Follow directions on seed packets for planting. Check to be sure what plants grow best together.
7. Plant several vine plant seeds at the base of each pole.
8. Plant herbs and flower seeds between each pole. Do not plant inside tipi, only around the edges.
9. Water seeds daily.
10. Once your tipi garden begins to grow, enjoy the shade!
11. Place a tarp or rug inside your tipi to sit upon. Keep a pair of binoculars, a notebook and a pencil to journal about the birds, butterflies and other insects you see in your tipi garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Work quickly once the holes are filled with wet concrete.
• Hemp rope and leather things will shrink when they get wet, making the frame of the tipi stronger.
• Do not lean against the poles before the concrete has set or your tipi could fall over.
• Keep a log of all the insects, birds and butterflies that visit your garden.
• Note which plants each creature likes best.
• Do not lean against tipi poles if they are not set in concrete or your tipi could collapse.

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