The Best Placement for a Vegetable Trellis

Give Plants What They Need

• The most important consideration in terms of where to put a vegetable trellis is to choose a location with plenty of sunshine and easy access to water. A few cool-season vegetables will tolerate partial shade, but most vegetables need at least six to eight hours of sunlight to grow well. Place the trellis in the sunniest location of your yard. Vegetables also need consistent water. Without adequate moisture, plants may fail to produce flowers and fruit, and any fruit that does develop may taste dry or woody. Place the trellis where a sprinkler will reach it or, better yet, in a location where you can install a drip system. Drip systems and soaker hoses use water more efficiently and cut down on plant diseases by keeping the leaves dry.

Follow the Sun's Path

• If you have the room, place a trellis so it runs in a north-south direction. The reason for this is that if you install it with an east-west orientation, the plants on the east side of the trellis won't get as much sunlight as those on the western side. Not every gardener has the luxury of considering this. Don't obsess if your garden doesn't allow for this kind of flexibility. Your plants will still grow well, so long as they get adequate sunlight, water and fertilizer. You might notice that plants on the west side tend to produce slightly more fruit and that the fruit ripens sooner.

Don't Shade Other Plants

• Another thing to consider when installing a trellis is the plants that will be growing around the trellis. If you place a trellis at the western or southern end of your garden, it will shade the plants growing on the other side of it. If you live in a hot climate, the plants might appreciate a bit of partial shade, but in general, most vegetables prefer full sun. Place the trellis at the north or east ends of your garden so they don't block the sun. This strategy also applies when you're planting tall crops, such as corn (Zea mays), without a trellis.

A Room With a View

• Vegetable gardeners are a practical bunch, but there's nothing wrong with wanting a garden that's both functional and beautiful. Once you've done your best to accommodate your plants' growing needs, you can think about aesthetics. A trellis covered with beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) or peas (Pisum sativum) looks charming in the middle of a raised bed, surrounded by leafy greens. Maybe you'd like a shady spot to sit. Install a bench in the middle of the garden and place a trellis behind it. Plant the trellis with vining berries or cucurbits, for a garden that's as inviting as it is productive.