William Terry Kelley
University of Georgia
Veteran gardeners know there are constantly chores to be done in the vegetable garden. An important one to remember once your garden is growing later this spring is trellising.Trellising is one chore you need to do fairly soon after the plants are established. It gets the plant and fruit up off the ground. This makes for better-quality fruit and less disease. It also helps to maintain order in the garden and makes harvesting easier.
For tomatoes, some people simply use cages to put over the plant, which allows it to grow and be supported. 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, you can 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 four inches above the ground. Use twine to tie each plant to the wires for support.
Peppers can be staked, too. Using similar 1-inch-square stakes, place them about every fourth plant with twine running from stake to stake. You'll want to start the first twine 4 inches above the ground.
As the peppers grow, put another string about every 4 inches above the first. 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.
Another crop that works well with a trellis is cucumbers. You can 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.
Eggplant can also be staked. Either tomato stakes or rebar can be used to place 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.
Don't forget to scout for insects and disease problems, too. Keep your weeds in check, and water as needed. The work of the gardener is never quite done. But doing chores when needed will help you relax and enjoy those lazy, hazy days of summer a little more.
(Terry Kelley is a former University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable horticulturist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
