July 4, 2020

Build a DIY Pea Trellis With Recycled Materials

This year is the year of the pea. I planted one row of peas in my raised bed and they’ve just exploded! I started with some metal stakes and twine for them to climb on but before I knew it, they outgrew this modest little trellis. So I recycled some of my other backyard gardening projects and made a beefy DIY pea trellis.

Check Out the Time Lapse of My Pea Trellis Build on YouTube!

Pea Trellis Materials

The purpose of this article is simply to show you that you can really get creative with this project. You can use whatever you have on hand to make a functional pea trellis.

I had some extra construction fencing that I used around my raised bed, and the 2x4s from my hula hoop greenhouses which I disassembled once the weather got warm. Oh, and zip ties. Lots of zip ties…

How I Built My Pea Trellis

My pea plants were already well over my head and I knew they needed a new trellis. I decided to make this new design sturdy and really tall. It will give my peas 9 feet of room to climb.

Building the Frame of the Pea Trellis

There were already 4-foot posts on each corner of my raised bed so I used these as the base of my new pea trellis. I fastened a 2×4 across the posts on each end of the raised bed with 3” decking screws.

Secured a 2×4 across the pre-existing corner posts

I then found the center of each and attached a 5 foot piece of 2×4 vertically.

Attached a 5-foot 2×4 vertically at the center of the cross beam

For added strength, I attached a small 2×4 block where the vertical and horizontal posts meet.

Added a stabilizer block at the joint for extra support

Finally, I attached an 8-foot 2×4 across the top of the structure from post to post and secured it with more decking screws.

Attached the cross beam to complete the trellis frame

Attaching the Fencing

With the frame of the trellis complete, the final step was to attach the construction fencing for the peas to climb. I cut an 8-foot piece of fencing and then secured it to the frame with zip ties along the top cross beam and vertical side beams.

Secured the fencing into place along the top and side beams with zip ties

Then I just trained my peas up the best I could so they’d be able to grab ahold of the fencing.

Conclusion

That’s really all there is to this DIY pea trellis project. Since I recycled some old materials, I didn’t have to pay a dime for my new pea trellis, and this made it that much more satisfying!

One of the things I like most about gardening is the ability to get creative and add some character by using recycled materials for a planter, a trellis, or even a raised bed. The possibilities are really endless. So get out there and get creative!

I’d love to see what you come up with, so make sure to reach out in the comments below. You can also email us your garden pics or DM us on Instagram @thistledownsfarm to get featured on our blog!

Happy Gardening:)

Cody
Thistle Downs Farm