By Terry Kelley
University of
Georgia
The seeds have come up, the gnats are out in full force and the
garden is growing. It’s time to sit back, relax and enjoy the
lazy, hazy days of summer.
Well, not exactly. It’s time now to trellis some of those
veggies you planted.
Trellising gets the plant and fruit up off of the ground, making
way for better quality fruit and less disease. It also helps to
maintain order in the garden and makes harvesting easier.
For tomatoes, some people simply use wire cages to put over the
plants. The plants grow and are supported by the cages. Another
method is to drive a one-inch square, four-foot stake into the
ground by each plant and tie the plant to the stake.
If you have a long row of tomatoes, you can set a large post at
each end of the row and again about every 20 feet within it.
Attach a wire across the top of the posts and about four inches
above the ground. Use twine to tie each plant to the wires for
support.
Peppers can be staked as well. Using similar one-inch square
stakes, place them about every fourth plant with twine running
from stake to stake. Start the first twine four inches above the
ground.
As the peppers grow, put another string about every four inches
above the first. Start with the first stake and go on one side
of the plants. Then go around the next stake and so on. When you
get to the last stake, come back down the other side of the
plants to box the plants in and keep them from falling over.
Cucumbers also grow better when trellised. You can use four-foot
fencing wire and some posts to build a temporary fence beside
the cucumber row. Then just train the vines up on the fence as
they grow. You’ll find and pick your cukes easier.
Eggplant can also be staked. Tomato stakes or rebar, a common
steel bar used to reinforce concrete, can be placed next to each
eggplant. Then secure the plant.
Be careful not to cut into plants as you tie them with twine.
But keep the twine tight enough to support the plants.
Trellising is one chore that should be done fairly soon after
plants are established.
Don’t forget to scout for insects and disease problems, too.
Keep your weeds in check and water as needed. A gardener’s work
is never quite done. But doing chores when needed will help you
relax and enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer a little more.
