14 Gorgeous Trellis Ideas to Elevate Any Vegetable Garden
Anyone who’s ever grown an indeterminate tomato plant or sprawling squash vine in their garden knows that many edibles need a strong support system to maximize your harvest. But as easy as it is to pick up a tomato cage at the garden store, there are plenty of other smart, decorative trellis ideas for vegetables and fruits. The following vegetable garden trellis ideas will elevate both your edibles and the look of your landscape.
Make It Multi-Functional
Jessica Sample
With some sturdy hog wire secured with T-posts, this homeowner built a trellis that’s strong enough for heavy butternut squash vines to climb. The result is an enchanting canopy that leads from one part of the garden to another. In winter, the arch is covered with plastic to transform into a greenhouse.
Place a Series of Archways
Carson Downing
Archways aren’t just for flowers—they can provide structure for climbing vegetables and legumes, while bringing a little romance to a kitchen garden. Place them between raised beds to lead the way through the vegetable garden or at the entry and exit points.
Utilize an A-Frame
Laurie Black
A classic A-frame wooden trellis is a simple and attractive way to support vining vegetables. To give small tendrils additional spots to wrap around, you can tie twine between the wood slats, as the gardener did here. Bonus: When the growing season’s over, the structure folds down and stows away flat.
Be Bold with Color
Gabriella Herman
Not one to shy away from color, this gardener painted her wooden trellises an electric shade of pink. The structures add a bold hit of architecture amid the masses of tomato plants in her garden.
To maximize longevity, use a primer and two coats of exterior paint when painting a vegetable garden trellis.
Create Visual Anchors
Kritsada Panichgul
In an area with multiple raised beds, pyramid-shaped tuteurs add much-needed structure and height—and a dash of old-fashioned formality. Placed in the corners of each of the four beds here, the trellises provide high points that create a pleasing visual rhythm, while unifying the garden.
Experiment with Shape
Hector Sanchez
If you’re up for a light DIY project, you can custom design a trellis that brings an interesting shape to the garden while also supporting your plants. The unique squared-off design of this small trellis built out of recycled wood allows cucumbers to climb and get much-needed air circulation.
Opt for a Slim Profile
Kindra Clineff
For a support that almost disappears into the landscape, opt for a thin wire and metal structure. This sloped metal design is sturdy enough for heavy cucumber plants, but doesn’t distract from the colorful poppies that share the bed.
Let Container Edibles Climb
Carson Downing
With more dwarf fruits and vegetables available than ever, there are plenty of crops that are compact enough to grow in containers. Metal supports encourage potted tomato and cucumber plants to climb, while bringing some vertical interest to your patio.
String Up a Support
Bob Stefko
For an elegant and flexible support for unruly tomatoes, try a twine trellis. This one was created out of garden twine extending from the base of each plant to the top of a wood frame structure. Tomato clips (sold at garden centers) placed along the tomato’s central stem allows you to easily tie on the twine without damaging the plant.
Design a Bamboo Grid
Dana Gallagher
For a simple DIY support using readily available materials, lash together bamboo poles in a grid pattern. The narrowness of the poles is perfect for pea tendrils, and the DIY look brings natural charm to vegetable beds.
Make It Industrial Strength
Caitlin Atkinson
A series of rust-proof steel trellises creates a super-sturdy support for vining vegetables throughout this garden. Netting placed over the structure gives plants something to grab onto. Metal makes a modern statement that’s balanced by more rustic wood elements in the garden.
Fan Out
Carson Downing
A fan-shaped trellis lets prolific climbers like this ‘Royal Burgundy’ bush bean cover a bigger surface area as they grow. In a pot or in a garden bed, this is a great option if you want to let a large swath of greenery brighten up a wall. This trellis was made by tying bamboo poles together with lashing cord, but many store-bought options are available too.
Create a Cohesive Statement
David Patterson
To create a vegetable garden that looks as carefully designed as a room in the house, this gardener had all of her vegetable supports built out of the same cedar as her raised beds. Twine helps support tomatoes in the summer and peas in the spring.
Go Rustic
Carson Downing
Wooden poles tied together with twine bring a rustic beauty to a vegetable container or garden bed. Willow, as shown here, or bamboo poles are widely available—or get creative using twigs from your own garden. Depending on the wood, the poles may last anywhere from a couple seasons to several years.
