A Pot Trellis

Transform a potted vine from a spill-over creeper into a reach-the-sky climber when you give your plant a vertical structure to latch on to.

 

The Basics

What You Need: Once you have the materials, this project will take less than an hour. 2 sets of wooden quilter's rings 14 inches in diameter, the stouter the better (1-1/2 inches wide is ideal). You can find these rings at a crafts, sewing, or notions shop. Six 4-foot strips of cedar 1/4 inch thick and 5/8 inch wide. These can be cut from bender board or screen molding. (Purchase at lumber store.) One 1-inch-diameter dowel or broom handle cut to about 3 inches. 1 hanger bolt (a double-ended lag screw) 3/16 x 1-1/2 inches. (Purchase at a hardware or lumber store.) 12 sets of brass bolts with nuts, size #8 by 1 inch. (Buy at a hardware or lumber store.) 2 (or 3 or 4) wood curtain rod rings. Standard size accommodates 1-3/4-inch pole. (Buy at a drapery shop.) 1 decorative finial. (Buy at lumber or specialty shop.) A 14- to 16-inch pot, soil, and plants. Making the Trellis Instructions: Steps 1-2. 1. Prepare the cedar. Soak the cedar strips for several hours to make them easy to bend. Glue the outer and inner quilter's rings together and tighten clamps firmly. 2. Assemble the finial. Drill the finial and the dowel at their centers and connect them with the hanger bolt to give the finial a 3-inch handle. 3. Attach the finial. Surround the dowel with the cedar strips, butting their ends up to the bottom of the finial. Slide the curtain rings up the bundle of strips to secure it to the finial. More rings are optional. Step 4. 4. Add the hoops. Here you might need an extra set of hands. Stand the finial and strips up, and slide the first hoop inside the strips, slowly working it up about 1-1/2 feet. One by one, feed the bottom of the strips into the second ring and slide it up about a foot. To repeat: The first hoop goes inside; the second, outside. 5. Secure the assembly. When you have achieved the desired flare and rigidity, drill all the cross-sections of strips and quilter's rings and secure with the brass bolts and nut. 6. Finish. Optional: After the wood strips dry, coat with a wood sealer to preserve for several seasons of use.   Planting the Pot Step 1. 1. Fill the pot. Place pot shards or stones at the bottom of the container, and then begin to fill with soil and a bit of slow-release fertilizer. Place the vine in the center of the pot and add soil. 2. Attach the trellis. Lift the trellis over the plant and insert its cedar strip deep enough into the soil to steady it. Add three or five other plants around the perimeter. Step 3. 3. Add the vine. Give the central vine a helping hand if necessary, weaving it up and through the trellis for support. Tamp the soil, and then water thoroughly. Technorati Tags : container+gardening, trellis+garden, gardening

 

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