"A" Frame Trellis

A few weeks back, I got the idea to find some space 

for some runner beans and cucumbers.

With no more space in the raised beds,

I decided to go UP.

A neighbor had given me some bamboo,

so I fashioned an "A" frame for the beans and cukes to climb.

With just a few materials, I was ready to go.

This was a one-woman project,

although it would be easier with two willing hands.

A sawzall, tape measure, scissors, hammer, baling twine or jute,

and some conduit are all that are needed, along with the bamboo poles.

I first decided where I wanted the frame.

The garden has full sun most of the day,

so I just tucked it in next to one of the raised beds.

After measuring out the distance between the end supports,

I hammered in some pieces of conduit,

which were cut in half to 2 1/2 feet.

The length of the frame will be determined by the length 

of your longest bamboo pole.

The bamboo was slipped over the conduit and tilted toward the center,

so that it could be attached together.

Some of the bamboo was plugged up at the end,

so I just hammered the material out.

Here are the two pieces of conduit in the foreground.

I laid the longest piece of bamboo across the ground

so that I would know where to install the conduit on the other end.

The piece that spans the top should overlap on the sides.

The two end poles are crossed (like an "A") and the baling twine is used

to bind them together.

The longest bamboo pole is then laid across the top between the crossed poles.

Baling twine was again used, this time

tied from the horizontal pole,

to offer a place for the beans and cukes to climb.

Soil was added at the bottom, and the seeds were sown.

I love how much growing space this gives me,

without taking up much room.

I can see another one of these in our future.

Now, let's get growing!