How to Use Ladders for a Trellis
A trellis is a structure specifically designed for supporting climbing plants, such as tomato or grape vines. A ladder is nearly structurally identical to a trellis and converting one to a trellis is an easy task. From a strictly functional standpoint, a ladder becomes a trellis the moment you set it up in the garden for the purpose of letting plants/vines grow on it. However there are some basic steps that you can take to make your ladder-turned-trellis both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Saw (if necessary)
- Post digger
- Cement mortar
- Cement mixing equipment
- 2-by-4 wood scraps
- Twine
Instructions
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Cut a ladder to the desired size with a saw, if necessary. Trellises generally stand between four and six feet tall, but the final height is your decision. If your ladder is 12 feet you may wish to cut it in half and build two trellises.
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2
Dig two holes in the ground with a post digger. Space the holes apart the same distance as the sides of the ladder and as deep as the distance between the bottom of the ladder and the first rung.
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Set the legs of the ladder into the holes. Attach wood pieces (such as a two by four) to the ladder at an angle to temporarily stabilize the ladder. The wood will act as a makeshift bracket; tie the wood pieces to the ladder with twine.
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4
Mixt cement mortar and pour into the holes. Once the cement dries your ladder turned trellis will be securely in place. Remove the makeshift support bracket.
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