How to Make a String Trellis

Train sweetpeas to climb a trellis.

Vining flowers like delicate sweetpeas and bold morning glories make spectacular displays of color when trained to climb the side of an old building, along the side of a deck, or up a fence. These vigorous vines need something to hold on to to keep them from sprawling along the ground. One of the easiest ways to provide them support is to create a simple string trellis anchored to the structure you want them to climb. Here's how to do that.

Things You'll Need

• Small nails or hooks
• Hammer
• String or fish line
• Vining plants

Instructions

1. Select an area alongside a building or structure that receives full sun for six to eight hours a day, and prepare the soil for planting.
   Determine the height of the plant at maturity and mark this on the front of the wall or fence. If you are planting alongside a deck or patio, you also will have to attach the strings to the top of the deck.

2. Attach small hooks or nails at this height, spaced 3 to 4 inches apart, across the area you want to cover. The spacing will depend on the size of the vine, its leaves and the size of its blooms. Space small delicate flowers closely and allow more room for bold vines. This will anchor the top of your trellis.

3. Choose string that blends with the color of the structure it is against or use heavy weight fishing line. This will make the trellis invisible to the eye and allow your vines to create an illusion of climbing freely up the building or fence.

4. Tie a string to the hook or nail and drop it to the ground. Pull taut and check that the line is straight and the top and bottom align. Attach small hooks or nails 4 inches from the ground and tie the other end of the string to the hook. Be sure the line is taut. You also can place a pressure-treated 2-x-4 or a piece of decorative insect-resistant timber on the ground behind your plants and attach the hooks to this.

5. Train vines to cling to the trellis by gently wrapping them around the string as soon as the young vines reach the strings. Once established, they will continue to move up the trellis as they grow. Check occasionally to guide stray vines back to the trellis.