How to Put up a Trellis

Last Updated: August 9, 2019

A trellis is a useful structure for a yard or garden. It gives climbing plants and flowers a place to grow and prevents them from damaging the siding of your house. A trellis can also lend visual interest to a landscape when plants lie dormant. Follow these steps to put up a trellis.

Steps

1
Set the trellis 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) away from your house. This distance will give you space to access the back of the trellis for pruning and maintenance and allow air to flow freely to the trellis' plants.^{[1]
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2
Measure how far apart the centers of a trellis' uprights are from each other. Mark their places on the ground.

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3
Dig holes for a wood trellis' posts with a posthole digger. Make sure the holes go deep enough to clear the ground's frost line.^{[2]
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4
Fill the post holes with 6 inches (15 cm) of 3/4-inch (1.9 cm) gravel. The gravel will act as drainage. Tamp the gravel in the holes.^{[3]
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5
Lay your trellis face down on the ground. The foot of its uprights should be next to your dug postholes.
6
Lift and tilt the trellis into place. Have at least 1 other person help you with this.
7
Place a level on the trellis' bottom edge. Check that it is even and add more gravel to make the trellis level as necessary.
8
Check that the trellis is plumb.
9
Stabilize the trellis in its position. Place 2-inch deep by 4-inch wide (5 by 10 cm) boards on the sides of the trellis. Drill holes and screw the boards for the trellis into place.^{[4]
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10
Fill remaining space in the post holes. Use a mixture of soil and gravel. Tamp down the dirt and gravel for every 6 inches (15 cm) that you fill.
11
Top off the last few inches (cm) of space in the holes by shoveling dug up soil into them.
12
Remove the 2 by 4 inch (5 by 10 cm) boards holding the trellis in place.^{[5]
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Warnings

These instructions for installing your trellis are for wooden trellises. Your trellis may be made of a different material and require different instructions.

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