A simple twine trellis for vines

Photo/Illustration: Michael Gellatly

Our fences consist of 6-inch-wide vertical boards that have nothing for twining vines to grasp onto. To make a simple trellis, I tie a knot in the end of a length of twine, slip the knot between the boards, and slide it down to a cross board. I do this with six more lengths of twine between every other board. Then I gather all the ends together and tie them into a simple knot near the ground, resulting in a fan of strings from the ground to near the top of the fence. I hammer a 2-foot-long 2x2 stake, with a groove near the top, into the ground where I want to anchor the trellis. I slip the knot over the stake and into the groove, which holds the twine in place. I give the stake an additional tap with the hammer to pull it all tight. This simple vine support is great for reseeded annual vines or perennial vines like sweet autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata, Zones 4–9) that are pruned back to the ground each year.