Nothing dresses up a blank wall or shields a dismal view like a beautiful upwardly mobile plant. But those climbers need something to climb on. Even bushy plants like tomatoes and roses need something to give them a little support so they don’t flop over in their planters. Without the right support, your container garden will be limited to wherever the plants can ramble as they spill over the sides of their pots.
When typing a plant to a vertical support, use stretchy, insulated ties that won’t cut through, restrict or otherwise damage the plant’s stem as it grows. Fasten ties loosely to allow the plant to move rather than cinching them tightly to the stake or trellis.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard
With the proper supplies (a trellis, trough container, potting soil, climbing plant, trowel and plant ties), a trellised planter can become a beautiful growing focal point to a bare wall or empty patio.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
The most basic vertical support is the stake or cane – a thin dowel, pole or stake that gives rigid structure to sprawling or immature plants that can’t support their own weight or that have weak stalks that would fail in high-wind conditions. Strings or wires attached between multiple stakes encourage climbers (like jasmine) and tendril growers (like sweetpea) to latch on and leverage themselves upward, then spread laterally down the strings or wires.
When placing stakes or canes in a container, make sure your support is as tall as or taller than the mature height of the plant being supported. Stakes and canes should be put in the potting soil before you plant your container to avoid damaging plant roots. Once your plant begins to grow and lean toward the sun, droops under its own weight or becomes subject to the wind, gently tether it to the support with plastic-coated wire ties, cotton string or stretchy nonadhesive plant tape.
Climbing plants with heavy foliage may need even more stability in the form of a trellis, usually made from thin members of treated wood attached to stakes that are pushed into the soil. Like most supports, trellises provide the basic framework for vines and other climbing plants to grow and spread. With this in mind, the design and dimension of the trellis you select should suit your plant’s growth pattern, as well as the ultimate shape and height the plant is expected to reach. Needless to say, heavy vines such as wisteria require equally sturdy supports. (Wisteria’s vines can reach 2 inches or more in diameter.)
If you plan to install a contained trellis along a structure or house wall, there are a few things to remember: When you position your trellis inside a long wooden planter, set it parallel to the house, garage wall or other structure with at least 3-4 inches of space between it and the structure’s surface. This allows air to circulate behind the trellis and keeps moisture from contacting the wall. It also avoids the excessive drying of flowers and foliage due to reflected heat.
Arbors, gazebos and structures like pergolas that cover decks or other outdoor areas also provide the opportunity to train and support climbing container plants. Just make sure the structure is latticed or otherwise allows air circulation (unless you intend to cultivate hardy climbers such as ivy or grapevines).
If your plant is flexible enough to accommodate it, support your climbing beauty with a trellis attached to the back face of your planter; otherwise, set it inside the container and fasten it to the inside wall. Premade trellises and other supports can be purchased at your local garden center, or you can make your own: Typically they’re just sections of square or lattice slats nailed or stapled together to form a simple grid. If you choose to build a trellis yourself, make sure it has long enough “legs” to reach into the full depth of your container.
The following pictures and their captions show the easy steps to installing a trellis in a trough or rectangular container to support a climbing vine. Use this simple design and planting to block an unsightly view, bring color to a bare wall or dress up an empty deck or patio.
Trellis Support - Step 1
Fill the planter with potting soil. Compact it slightly to achieve the desired quantity, texture and density necessary for planting. Mist with water as needed.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Trellis Support - Step 2
Fit the trellis extensions into the soil along the back edge of the planter. Compact the soil around the legs to steady the trellis. If the planter is too shallow to support the trellis without fasteners, fasten the legs to the planter with galvanized screws for added stability.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Trellis Support - Step 3
Plant your climbing species of choice into the potting soil. Wind its vines or limbs through a few of the trellis openings, guiding its supple shoots onto the trellis
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Trellis Support - Step 4
Loosely tie the ends of the vines or limbs to the trellis structure as they develop new runners and growth, repeating every few days as the plant becomes established.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
Trellis Support - Step 5
With proper care, your trellis planter will create a wall of flowers and foliage that will reach around eye level.
Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser
