Creative Ways to Make Your Own Tomato Trellis

Growing your own tomatoes is a commitment unlike any other. Not all life commitments can bring about as great a reward as growing the perfect tomato.

But sweet and juicy crimson-colored tomatoes aren’t easy to come by. 

Luckily,  there is one sure way to improve your chances of getting the tomato plants that you hope for: give them the right support. 

Trellising might not be the simplest way to support your tomatoes, however, this method is sure to bring the best out of your favorite garden crop – including the sweetness! 

There are plenty of designs to choose from when building your own trellis. In part, your choice will depend on the tomato varieties you’re growing. 

It doesn’t have to be the traditional stake and string trellis. 

If you’d rather walk away from the run-of-the-mill trellis systems, there’s plenty of options to choose from. Opt for an unconventional string trellis, build cages for tomatoes, use arches, and much more. 

Today we bring you creative ways to build your own tomato trellis. 

Bamboo Tomato Trellis 

Why make a wooden DIY tomato trellis when you can use bamboo instead? Bamboo is both cheaper and more distinctive than wood,  while still making for a sturdy enough support for your tomatoes. 

You can start with a simple A-frame structure with two sets of crossed posts. 

This structure is reminiscent of a traditional horizontal string trellis. But it does come with a slight creative twist. As such, it’s a great start for those who want to try something different. 

Here’s how to make one on your own:

1. Use 5 pieces of 6-foot bamboo poles.
   
   
2. To create the first leg support, cross two pieces of bamboo and tie them with string. Make sure the two bamboo poles cross 5-inches from the top, making a small “X” at the top of the structure.
   
   
3. To make the trellis more stable so it can support a heavier tomato plant, splay the bamboo apart, so it makes a larger “X”.
   
   
4. Repeat the process for the other leg support of the trellis, making sure the support legs are 5 feet apart.
   
   
5. Lay the last bamboo pole on top of the frame and you’re almost done.
   
   
6. There’s one last step to finish this bamboo string trellis. Create twine supports to train your tomatoes up along the structure.
   
   Use twine and loop it around the main tomato stem on the one end and on the top horizontal pole on the other. Make a few extra knots on a few more places as the plant grows for better support.

Use twine and loop it around the main tomato stem on the one end and on the top horizontal pole on the other. Make a few extra knots on a few more places as the plant grows for better support. 

For larger garden beds, use larger bamboo poles with more leg supports.

Tomato Arch Trellis

Tomato arch trellises are an exciting option for those who want to create their own with a bit of flair. More importantly, they’re a great alternative for taller plants: perfect for growing your tomatoes. 

If you’ve ever had the chance to grow tomatoes 8 to 10 feet high, you know how hard these are to handle. 

A tomato archway can also be your secret way of getting bigger yields in a smaller garden space. And it’s also aesthetically pleasing. 

Fearing an arch-shaped trellis might be a challenge to make? Don’t! It’s not as much hassle as it may seem. 

Now, if you’re sold on the idea, here’s how to build an arch trellis for your plants: 

1. Choose quality material. Any heavyweight wire fencing will do, but it’s best to use 4-gauge livestock panels. These will provide sturdy support when your tomatoes mature and become heavy with fruit.
   
   
2. Livestock panels vary in size depending on the manufacturer. But they typically come as 16 feet X 50 inches panels. Making your tunnel four to six feet wide will give you a structure tall enough to walk through (and support your super-tall tomatoes).
   
   To get an arch trellis 5 to 6 feet high, cut the panels to a length of 12 feet.
   
   
3. Next, cut the bottom strip on one side of the panel. The end panel cut this way provides tines that will help you drive your trellis into the ground.
   
   You can install your arch trellis in a raised bed in two sets of raised beds or straight into the dirt.
   
   
4. Use wooden stakes or metal posts to secure your arched support. Position the posts every two to four feet apart. This step is optional. The trellis should be strong enough to withstand even the harshest conditions on its own.
   
   
5. The last step is also optional. You can use the arch structure to make a string trellis. Use nylon or hemp rope to attach strings in the middle of the arch. Secure the strings around the tomato plants.
   
   Train your plants up the string as they grow. Or omit this step and only grow your tomatoes along the arch structure. Using a string trellis method, however, will give your plants additional support.

The Upside-Down Tomato Trellis

You don’t need to live in Australia to grow your tomato plants upside-down. You can do it just as well by making this upside-down DIY tomato trellis.  

If you have a flair for the unorthodox and want something a little different for your garden, all you need to do is complete the next few steps and – voilà! Installing this unconventional trellis in your garden is as easy as that:

1. Take a 5-gallon bucket and drill a two-inch hole on the base. This is where your tomato plant will be dropping down from the planter. Don’t go too wild with the hole diameter, as your plant could fall through.
   
   
2. Lay your bucket on the side and put the root of the plant into the bucket. Keep the bucket in place so it doesn’t roll around and damage your tomato plant.
   
   
3. Fill your bucket with wet potting soil all the way to the top. This soil will then give the root enough boost to grow upwards. It will also provide enough moisture so your plant grows healthy and strong.
   
   
4. Put your bucket plants up on a wooden beam structure in your garden or wherever else suits. Make sure this place receives at least 6 hours of sun each day and be sure to water your upside-down plants daily.

Not all tomato varieties are suitable for this growing method. So stick to smaller varieties such as Roma and cherry tomatoes. 

The Livestock Cage Trellis

Not new to growing tomato plants? Then you’ve probably already tried a commercial tomato cage and found out the hard way it doesn’t work. 

The 42 or 45-inch tomato cages won’t hold up for long, with both having a tendency to tip over once plants outgrow them, and often struggle to keep your tomato plants upright in strong winds.

That’s exactly why you need something sturdier to help you grow your plants; a DIY cage for tomatoes that’s tall and strong looks attractive, and is fun to build. 

Put it up on a garden bed and what you’ll have is what any neat gardener could hope for. 

If a string trellis has become too much of a bother, a cage, like this one, will be ideal for you: 

1. To start building, decide on the size of the cage. To get cages 4.6 feet high, use 16 x 4 ft. livestock panels. 6-inch grids are ideal for easy harvesting, so keep that in mind when purchasing the panels.
   
   
2. Cut the livestock panel down to a size you’ll need for building. Trim out three squares on the side to reduce the width of the livestock panel. Use the length of one panel to make two parts of the cage of the same dimensions. 
   
   
3. Take the half of the panel, lay it on a flat surface, and use a long beam to bend it inwards. Do the same with the other part. 
   
   
4. Now, you have the two halves that will make a square cage. All that’s left to do is make a square out of them and drive the cage into the ground. It’s important to plant the prongs (that will help you secure the cage) deep in your garden bed. 

How Tall Should Your Tomato Trellis Be?

This boils down to what intentions and plans you have behind growing your tomato plants. 

If you want plants that set fruit throughout the season, choose indeterminate tomatoes. These vine varieties grow until the first frost destroys them. They’ll also keep climbing high, sometimes up to 6 feet and more. Which means you’ll need a good trellis for them. 

For indeterminate tomatoes, cages need to be at least 5 feet tall. To make a cage high enough, sometimes you’ll need to put one cage on top of another.

A determinate tomato plant, however, will grow for a shorter season and might not need trellising at all. Staking or caging tomatoes using a store-bought cage might be enough. This is because determinate, bush tomatoes grow fairly close to the ground. 

A mix of determinate and indeterminate tomato plants in your garden can bring you the best of both worlds. You can use the indeterminate tomatoes to be freshly cut in salads and use bush tomatoes for canning. 

Have Fun Making Your Own Tomato Trellis

If you’re a dedicated grower you won’t settle for anything less than a perfect-tasting tomato. 

Trellising your plants will give you just that. 

The right support and sun exposure can work wonders for your tomato plant. 

There are so many options when staking in tomato. Clever ways to make your trellis both interesting, unconventional, and sturdy. 

With the trellis ideas listed above, you can make something out of the ordinary without the risk of your garden getting unruly. Nifty, right? 

Now you know how far you can step away from traditional string trellis systems, it’s time to plot out the perfect trellis for your tomatoes.

But, before you do, learn more exciting tricks on how to grow your tomato plants. Gardening Channel has all that it takes to become your go-to source for inspiration.

We’ll keep you up-to-date with interesting tips on how to grow your fruits and veggies all year round.

Photo from Flickr by Andrew Fitzhugh