How to Install a Trellis
- 1). Choose a location for the trellis and prepare the area. If you are constructing a trellis to support a specific type of plant, you will need to choose a location based on the sunshine levels throughout your garden. (For example, morning glories, a popular climbing plant, need a lot of sun and should be placed accordingly; ivies, on the other hand, grow well in dark corners.) If you are placing the trellis to act as a barrier, make sure you have chosen the optimum spot to block the unsightly view from as many angles as possible.
Clear the ground where you will be placing the trellis. If the trellis will be against a wall or the side of a building, you will not need to clear the area as thoroughly, but for a free-standing trellis, the ground needs to be completely clear so you can drive it into the ground for stability. - 2). Attach the lattice to the 2 by 4 posts using the screws. (Screw the back of the trellis to the 4-inch side of the post.) The top of the lattice should be flush with the top of the posts.
- 3). Measure the locations where the posts will be place in the ground. It can be helpful to lay the assembled trellis flat on the ground with the "legs" near where the trellis will be placed.
- 4). Dig the post holes using the post-hole digger. Dig the holes two to three feet deep and about six inches wide.
Put about six inches of gravel in the bottom of each hole, then lower the posts into the holes. Use the level to make sure the posts are evenly placed, then fill the remainder of the holes with the gravel.
