In today's article, we delve into the world of DIY garden trellises, showcasing 17 unique designs that were built with EMT Conduit and Maker Pipe Connectors. Each design showcases the creativity and versatility of these materials, providing inspiration for your own DIY garden projects. Whether you're planning to build a simple support structure for your plants or a multi-functional trellis that doubles as an enclosure or a greenhouse, these designs offer a wealth of ideas to get you started.
First up, is a simple trellis built for a raised round garden bed. This trellis is really simple, featuring four conduit verticals buried in the soil and cross bracing with 45-Degree Maker Pipe Connectors. Trellis netting is tied off on the frame, providing a secure structure for plants to climb. This trellis is a great example of how a few pieces of conduit and connectors can create a functional and effective structure for your garden.
Next, we have a unique trellis made by Nicholas for raspberry plants. This trellis design reminds me of telephone poles because there is a single vertical on each side with perpendicular pipes that branch off and support strings that go from one side to the other. The strings are secured into eye hooks that are drilled into the frame. All the pipes and connectors are painted brown, which looks great against the fence. This freestanding trellis is secured in the ground using a method where a rebar pin or stake is hammered into the ground, and the conduit is slid over top of it.
The third trellis on our list is from Zach, and it's a versatile design that can double as an enclosure or a greenhouse. This is a great example of how conduit and connectors can provide a modular solution based on the seasonality of your gardening needs.
The trellis is built with rectangles of EMT Conduit and Maker Pipe Connectors, using 90 Degree Connectors in the corners and 180-Degree Connectors to continue the run and add a vertical support pipe. The trellis also features an arched roof made with a large radius bend. Cattle panels are added to the outside of the frame, providing plenty of places for plants to climb. This design also doubles as an enclosure, making it a versatile addition to any garden.
Gregory's design is another simple yet effective trellis for a steel raised garden bed. Four verticals are buried in the garden soil down low and T Connectors are being used to create a rectangle at the top. Inside the rectangle there are cross pipes that support strings that are tied off. These go down into the soil and will provide ample support for climbing plants. The design also includes chicken wire around the bottom, serving as an enclosure to protect plants from animals. This trellis can also be converted into a frost-proof enclosure with the addition of greenhouse plastic.
Melissa's design caters to multiple types of plants, offering both shade and trellising. One side of the trellis features a sunshade, while the other side has trellis netting. The design allows for customization based on the needs of different plants. The vertical pipes go inside the corner pieces of the garden bed, with T connectors and cross pipes added as needed. This modular design can be adapted to include sunshade, trellising, or even greenhouse plastic as the seasons change.
Nancy's freestanding trellis is a remodel of a previous design. The trellis is built around two plant trays placed side by side on a deck. The pipe runs along the edge of the trays, going up and down on both sides. The two sides are connected, creating a walk-through trellis that also doubles as a sunshade. This design is a great example of how a trellis can be adapted to suit your garden's changing needs, year after year.
Raymond's arched trellis is a standout design that features large radius bends on top. The trellis has seven verticals that go up, arch, and connect in the middle before going down the other side. Raymond has also 3D printed a hub for a few of the pipes to come in. The pipes are painted green, blending in nicely with the garden. This design is a great example of how creativity and innovation can result in a unique and functional trellis.
Paul's project is a stand and trellis built into one and it is designed for the Kratky method of growing plants. The design features four verticals, with shorter ones in the front and taller ones in the back. Cross pipes connected with T Connectors support the buckets, while the taller pipes in the back connect to the top with a T connector and one cross pipe between them. Netting is secured to the frame with zip ties and it provides support for the climbing plants.
Paul's simple yet effective trellis for his bucket hydroponics system is a great example of creativity and problem-solving in gardening. The trellis is built with three verticals attached to the house, with pipes sticking out the front to complete the rectangle. The top rectangle is braced with 45 Degree Connectors, and ropes are attached from the back pipe down to the buckets, providing support for the tomato plants to climb.
Heather's design for a steel raised bed features some innovative hacks. Instead of placing pipes in the soil, Heather created spacers using PVC, a bolt, and one hole straps to create a mount for the vertical pieces of conduit. The trellis features four verticals connected with 90 Degree Connectors in the corners and T Connectors across the middle. The design can be modified to include cattle panels, trellis trellis netting, or greenhouse plastic, making it a versatile addition to any garden.
Tom's trellis is designed to support 250 pounds of tomato plants. After a PVC trellis failed, Tom opted for a stronger conduit design. The trellis is built around rolling garden beds, with a freestanding frame created using 90 Degree Connectors to form a rectangle. Several verticals go up and connect to the top rectangle using T connectors.
Bradley is in the design phase of his custom trellis project and has elected to use the Maker Pipe Mini Modeling Connectors to plan out the build. This method of planning and designing is a great way to get a real life miniature model of the idea that you have in your head. You can plan out the connectors and implementation of them exactly as they will be when you make the real thing.
Peter's design features a wooden garden bed with six verticals that rest inside of the soil. The top of the frame is connected together with 90-Degree Connectors and 180 Degree Connectors. Peter also used 45 Degree Connectors to create a triangular roof. The trellis is equipped with lights and trellis netting, providing a functional and aesthetically pleasing addition to the garden.
Joseph's trellis is built between two garden beds, creating an archway that can be walked under. The design features four vertical pipes that are secured to the garden beds with one hole straps. Joseph used 90 Degree Connectors over the top of the walkway. Trellis netting is secured between each of the panels, providing support for climbing plants. The connectors are painted brown, and the pipes are green, blending in nicely with the aesthetic of the garden.
Glen's design is a unique application of a trellis. Instead of supporting plants, this trellis is designed to create shade over a beehive. He used a few different connectors to build the arching structure and then covered the frame with fake vines.
Cherny's trellis is designed to cover a walkway between garden beds. The design features six verticals on each side of the garden bed, with 45 degree bracing and pipes going from one side to the other using 90 Degree Connectors. Trellis netting is secured to the outer walls of the frame, providing support for climbing plants. This design creates a beautiful archway covered with plants.
David's freestanding trellis is a simple support structure for tomato plants. The design features 90 Degree Connectors on the outside verticals and four-way connectors in the middle, creating a rectangular trellis that can be extended to any size. This is a great example of a versatile, freestanding trellis that can be adapted to fit various sizes of garden beds.
That concludes our list of 17 DIY garden trellises made with conduit and connectors. Each design showcases the creativity and versatility of these materials, providing inspiration for your own DIY garden projects. Whether you're planning to build a simple support structure for your plants or a multi-functional trellis that doubles as an enclosure or a greenhouse, these designs offer a wealth of ideas to get you started.
For more gardening builds and ideas, you can visit the gardening and agriculture section of the Maker Pipe Community. Here, you'll find a variety of projects ranging from enclosures to greenhouses and sun shades. You can also download our free Gardening Solutions E-book, which provides valuable tips and techniques for building with conduit and Maker Pipe in the garden. If you have any questions or need help with your gardening projects, feel free to reach out. We're always here to help. Happy gardening!