Air growing allows you to significantly save space in your garden. In addition, air circulates easily between plants, which significantly reduces the risk of late blight and powdery mildew. Tomatoes on a trellis in open ground receive more light. As a result, such planting increases the crop yield. Therefore, the construction of trellises should be approached very carefully.
How to make a trellis frame
The frame must have high strength, since it will bear a lot of weight from the plant and fruit. If it is flimsy, then its service life will not be long.To achieve the desired result, it is recommended to use durable materials such as metal stakes and wooden blocks to construct the frame.
Installation of the structure begins with the installation of these same pegs. The process must be approached very carefully. The strength and stability of the structure will depend on this. And as a result, its service life. When installing pegs, it is worth considering some features:
- Calculate the required number of pegs. In this case, the length of the bed is taken into account. The distance between the pegs should not be more than 2 m. Otherwise, the stability of the trellis will be significantly reduced.
- Calculate the length of the stake. Supports for tomatoes are immersed in the ground to a depth of at least 0.7 m. In this case, the size of the free part that rises above the ground should be more than 1.8 m. When deciding this issue, it is worth taking into account the height of the plant depending on the variety.
- An important aspect is the thickness of the products. The outer pegs should have a diameter of at least 5 cm. As for the intermediate elements, they may be somewhat narrower.
- If wooden supports are used to construct a trellis, then it is better to pay attention to products made from hard wood. They are additionally treated with drying oil. This will protect them from negative environmental factors.
After the racks are installed, they are connected at the top and bottom with metal or wooden planks. The distance from the ground to the bottom strut is 20 cm. To give the structure strength, install an additional belt of planks in the middle of the racks. In the future, these elements are used to attach the trellis mesh. Material for the frame is purchased or made from scrap materials.
Different forms of trellises: how to make them correctly
The classic version of a DIY tomato trellis is a rectangular design. Building such a trellis is quite simple. In addition, it makes caring for germinating crops much easier. Products in the form of a tent or cabinet are no less popular.
A good option would be inclined surfaces that have a common horizontal support. The advantage of this design is that the structure will require a small number of supports. Among other things, a trellis can serve as an original decoration for a vegetable garden and personal plot.
The simplest option is to install one support to which the threads are tied in a circle. A cone of plants will become an original element of landscape design.
A tomato trellis can take the form of an inclined structure that rests on a wall, fence or other structures. The upper horizontal bar is attached directly to the load-bearing surface. From below, at a certain distance from the wall, small pegs are driven in. A mesh is stretched between them. This option is often used for growing climbing plants.
Trellis mesh
When the frame is installed, begin attaching the trellis mesh. When choosing a material, you should pay attention to the following requirements:
- the cell should have dimensions 10 x 10 cm;
- the material must be rigid and durable;
- Deformation of the mesh under the weight of plants is not allowed;
- the material must resist moisture and ultraviolet radiation;
- environmentally friendly products are used for trellises.
A good option would be PVC mesh, which is available on the market in a wide range. Of course, such a quick solution has some disadvantages:
- low strength;
- the mesh sags under heavy weight;
- fragility.
To ensure that the trellis lasts for a long time, you should pay attention to homemade meshes. Various materials are used for their manufacture.
Construction twine
Twine is widely used in summer cottages to solve many problems. This inexpensive and accessible material is optimal for growing tomatoes. Of course, its service life is no more than one year. But the material also has some advantages. So, the twine can be removed along with plants that have already bloomed. Making a trellis from rope is quite simple.
The manufacture of a trellis from twine is carried out in the following sequence:
- Make a frame. For this, wooden blocks or metal plates are used.
- Make hooks for attaching construction twine. In a wooden frame, nails are driven into the top strip and bent. In metal frames, hooks are made from wire.
- Cut the rope into pieces, the length of which is 3 m. In this case, it is worth considering the distance between the hooks and the lower pegs or crossbar.
- Attach the twine to the horizontal jumpers. To ensure that the structure is strong and can easily withstand the load from plants, the rope is folded in half.
Thus, the construction of a simple trellis from construction twine is carried out. The design is updated every year. A wire trellis mesh is made in the same way. Of course, the process will take a lot of time and effort. But the result will be a durable structure that will have high strength and durability.
Trellis in a greenhouse
Trellis are often installed in greenhouses and other film coverings. This option is considered more relevant than using the structure on open ground.The problem with greenhouses is limited space and relatively insufficient lighting. This makes it impossible to grow a normal crop. This issue can be resolved using air cultivation. Building a trellis in a greenhouse is quite simple, since its base will serve as a frame for the structure.
An inexpensive option is to build a trellis from wood twigs. The lower end of the rod is stuck into the soil, and the upper end is attached to the partitions of the greenhouse. Also, twine mesh is made from steel wire or twine. Tomato stems are twisted onto them to guide their growth.
A trellis made of wooden and plastic slats along which you can easily guide the tomatoes is also considered a good option.
