By Brad Haire
University of Georgia

Those tiny vegetable transplants and seeds you planted early
this spring are growing fast. Soon they’ll be burdened with a
bounty of fresh produce. Don’t jeopardize the fruits of your
garden labor now, says a University of Georgia specialist.
Trellis those vegetables before it’s too late.

“Trellising is one chore that should be accomplished fairly soon
after the plants are established,” said Terry Kelley, a UGA
Cooperative Extension vegetable horticulturist.

But even if you forgot or didn’t know to do it, you can still
give your vegetable plants the support they deserve, he said.

“Trellising gets the plant and fruit up off the ground. This
makes for better quality fruit and less disease,” he said. “It
also helps maintain order in the garden and makes harvesting
easier.”

Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and eggplants are vegetables
commonly trellised, he said. But almost any plant can use a
little help supporting itself or its fruit.

For tomatoes, some people simply put cages over the plants to
support them as they grow, he said. Another method is to drive
a 1-
inch-square, 4-foot stake into the ground by each plant and tie
the plant to the stake.

If you have a long row of tomatoes, he said, 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 4 inches
above the ground. Use twine to tie each plant to the wires for
support.

Peppers can be staked like tomatoes, he said. Place similar 1-
inch-square stakes about every fourth plant with twine running
from stake to stake. Start the first twine 4 inches above the
ground.

As the peppers grow, put another string about every 4 inches
above the last one. 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.

To support cucumbers, use 4-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,” he said.

Eggplant can be staked, too. Place either tomato stakes or rebar
next to each eggplant. Then secure it to the stake. Be careful
not to cut into plants as you tie them with twine. But keep the
twine tight enough to support the plants.

While you’re at it, “don’t forget to scout for insects and
disease problems,” Kelley said. “And keep weeds in check, and
water as needed.”