This simple pea trellis is a great way to get the kids out in the garden for a little free labour…{ahem} I mean garden therapy. It’s also ideal for the budget-friendly gardener, as it only takes a few materials you might even be able to get at the dollar store.
Spring is the time to plant peas out in the garden. Seeds germinate well in cool soil, so plants have a strong start by the time summer hits. I like to start my peas indoors, then move the little vines out when they are strong enough, but you can also buy started pea plants at nurseries and farmers’ markets this time of year.
When you plant your peas, they will start to ramble and tangle along the ground, and the sweet tips get munched on by just about any vegetable-loving creature you can imagine (slugs, snails, the darn dog!), so it’s nice to grow them vertically up a support. The little vines cling and twine nicely around string, and this simple trellis is perfect to pack a lot of peas into a small area.
Update: As you may be able to tell by these photos, this project was originally done years ago when Kiddo was just a wee sprout. But it remains one of my go-to methods for supporting peas and a fan favourite.
How to Make a Pea Trellis
Materials
- Bamboo poles of various lengths
- A spool of garden twine
- A garden helper
Make It!
1. Stick two 6’ or longer bamboo poles into the soil on either side of your pea patch.
2. Make a frame using two more bamboo poles that measure a few inches longer than the width of your side stakes. Secure the poles together by tying twine around the poles where they cross in a figure-eight pattern.
3. Using twine on a spool, tie one end of the twine to the bottom of one side of the bottom of the frame. Run the twine up and over the top of the frame, and allow it to drop back down. Let your garden helper wind the twine around the frame over and over until you have reached the other side. Tie the twine in a knot on the end of the frame to secure.
4. Gently lift the tips of the pea plants and tuck their tendrils onto the twine. The peas will take it from here.
Another Bamboo Trellis
In all the years since I’ve made this pea trellis, I have also made another version entirely of woven bamboo. This version is a little sturdier, so it can be used for heavier vining plants as well as peas. It’s also budget-friendly and an easy project to do in an afternoon.
More Tips for Growing Vegetables
- Regenerative Vegetable Gardening for the At-Home Gardener
- How to Reduce Your Grocery Bill by Vegetable Gardening
- Luffa Gourds: Grow Your Own Shower Loofah
- Converting Lawn into a Vegetable Garden with Raised Garden Beds
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
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