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How to make plant supports


12 DIY Plant Cages and Supports

By

Stacy Fisher

Stacy Fisher

Stacy is an expert writer for The Spruce covering home DIY projects and crafts. She has over 18 years of journalistic experience, appearing as a DIY expert on the Dr. Oz Show and several radio shows. She has published hundreds of articles and co-authored a book.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 01/25/23

Homestead and Chill

These DIY plant cages and supports are a great alternative if you're tired of fighting with those flimsy supports you can buy at the store. These give you the opportunity to build the cages and supports specifically for the plants you have and the needs of your garden.

When you use one of these DIY plant cages or supports it will keep your plants healthy and happy. They'll be kept off of the soil and away from diseases, and it will keep the air flowing around the plant to keep it nice and dry. Since these supports lift the plants off of the ground, it will give you more space to garden and more room to harvest.

15 DIY Plant Supports And Cages You Need In Your Summer Garden

Spring is finally here and you know what that means…it’s time to start thinking about your veggie garden.

I get so excited when the weather begins to warm up because I know that working in my veggie garden is coming.

I love growing my own foods. Not only is it satisfying, but it is also a much healthier way to feed my family.

So with that in mind, I thought that I would help you to grow a healthier and more sturdy garden.

What that means is that I have found 15 DIY plant supports and cages that will help you to keep your garden plants supported while they grow those amazing veggies for you this summer.

Jump to:

1. DIY Folding Ladder Tomato Cages

These folding tomato cages are super easy to make and will perfectly support your tomatoes as they begin growing. You can build these with scrap wood if you have any on hand and they go up pretty quickly. Plus, they are foldable so when you are not using them in the garden, they are easy to store and take up very little space.

Tutorial: motherearthnews

2. $4 DIY Plant Supports

You can build these plant supports for less than $4 each and if you are using them for beans or other vining plants, you could use one support for each couple of plants in your garden, so you may not need many.

These are great for tomatoes and only take a few minutes to put together. You make them with bamboo stakes, which are really cheap and if you happen to have cane growing in your backyard, you can use those, too which would make these free to make.

Tutorial: theelliotthomestead

3. DIY Bike Wheel Dome Plant Support

There are so many projects to repurpose old tires, but not many that actually let you use the rims of those tires. This dome shaped plant support uses old bicycle rims and it is really easy to put up. It’s also super unique and perfect for any vining plants that you have in your garden, including cucumbers and beans. And, you just have to zip tie the rims together to create it.

Tutorial: instructables

4. Cheap And Easy DIY Potted Branch Trellis

So, if you have a couple of large planting pots and a few branches in your yard, you can create these lovely potted branch trellises that are perfect for vining plants like cucumbers, peas and beans. This one doesn’t even take that much work to put it together and if you have the branches and planters on hand, it’s a free DIY plant support project.

Tutorial: thisoldhouse

5. Super Sturdy DIY Tomato Cage

If you are growing heirloom tomatoes, and if you have ever grown them before, then you know that you need something really sturdy to support those plants as your tomatoes begin to grow. Heirloom tomatoes get so big that they need additional support to keep them from toppling your plants over. This sturdy DIY tomato cage is made with cattle panels so you know it is going to give your plants the support that they need. And, it’s a pretty easy DIY project, too.

Tutorial: rodalesorganiclife

6.

DIY Stake And Wire Plant Support

This combination of wooden stakes and chicken wire is perfect for keeping your tomato plants secure as your tomatoes grow.

And since you are using wooden stakes at the beginning of your rows, this is also a great way to DIY your own garden markers. Just carve or write in whatever type of tomatoes are in that particular row. The wooden stakes and wire give your plants the perfect support while they are growing.

Tutorial: oldworldgardenfarms

7. DIY Entire Row Tomato Cage

This DIY plant support gives you sturdiness for all of the tomato plants in one row. You only need one cage per row and all of the plants can grow up the support at the same time.

This would also be great for beans or peas. It is a pretty simple DIY plant support cage to make and you just need a few supplies, like galvanized welded wire panels and rebar for support.

Tutorial: mosaicgardens

8. Easy $10 Obelisk Trellis

These cheap and easy to make trellises are not only supportive for your plants, but they are also really attractive in the garden. Paint these colorful hues to really make your garden noticeable.

They are so simple to put together and each one only costs about $10 to make, even less if you happen to have some scrap wood on hand. These are perfect for any vining plants like your beans and peas.

Tutorial: mommadanddaboyz

9. Repurposed Pallet Plant Trellis

This plant trellis is perfect for pumpkins, squash and other vining plants and it is really easy to make from a couple of old pallets. If you have a stash of pallets and you have been waiting for the perfect pallet repurposing projects, this is definitely one to consider. It will only take you a few minutes to make one of these and if you have enough pallets on hand, you can use them to support all of your garden plants that need it.

Tutorial: onehundreddollarsamonth

10. Easy DIY Stake And Twine Plant Cage

This tomato cage is made from stakes and twine and it only takes a few minutes to put together.

If you have a few small wooden stakes on hand, this one is really cheap to build and it perfectly supports tomatoes and all sorts of other garden veggie plants. Even if you have to buy the stakes, this is still a really inexpensive DIY plant support project.

Tutorial: myhomeideas

11. DIY Bamboo And Twine Towers

These bamboo teepee styled towers are really easy to set up and you don’t need anything to make them but some bamboo stakes and rope or twine. You could also do these with branches if you have a few in the yard.

This would be a great project for upcycling twigs and branches from the yard and these teepees are perfect for supporting tomato plants as they grow.

Tutorial: thepaintedhinge

12. Cute Umbrella Styled Teepee

This umbrella styled teepee will support all sorts of vining plants like your tomatoes, beans and peas, or you could even use it for squash and zucchini. It is made with wooden stakes and it has such a decorative look. If you really want it to decorate your garden, add some finials to the tops.

13. Simple DIY Willow Teepee Support

If you have a willow tree, you can use branches and twigs from that tree to make this teepee styled tomato plant support. This one could also work with beans and other vining plants. It’s pretty easy to make and you can do the entire thing with your willow twigs and branches or you could use rope or twine to tie all of the supporting branches together.

Tutorial: bhg

14. Cheap Wooden Tomato Cage

This tomato cage is made completely from wood and you can use scrap wood if you have any on hand. These are really easy to make and this is a cheap plant support project even if you have to buy the wood to build it. It offers perfect support for tomatoes and you could use it for your beans and cucumbers, too. Just start the vines up the cage when they begin growing.

Tutorial: ellaclaireinspired

15. Super Easy PVC Pipe Tomato Cage

PVC pipe is not terribly expensive and you may have some on hand – I always have a few pieces in the garage for DIY projects. This easy to make DIY tomato cage is crafted from PVC pipe and it perfectly supports those plants as your tomatoes begin to grow. This is even a good one for heavier tomatoes like heirloom varieties. And, it only takes a few minutes to put together. This is a great one to add to your list of PVC pipe organizing and storage projects.

Tutorial: idreamofeden

Conclusion

These are all so easy to make and many of them can be created from repurposed or upcycled materials.

There is simply nothing better for me than turning trash into treasure, which is why I really love repurposing so much.

From tomato cages that you can make from reclaimed wood to a wonderful trellis that is made from old bicycle rims, you are definitely going to find a great DIY plant support for whatever plants you have in your garden this year. And, speaking of gardens, have you seen my list of 10 homemade insecticides? These will keep your garden pest free naturally.

These plant supports can be used for all of your plants, from tomatoes and beans to peas, cucumbers and even squash and pumpkins.

If you have a plant that needs to be supported while it grows, you are going to find the perfect DIY plant support and you can make most of these in just a few minutes.

Go ahead and get those supplies ready – we’re going to grow beautiful gardens this year and we’ll use our DIY plant supports to keep those lovely veggies coming all summer long! And, be sure that you take a look at these 25 DIY garden markers to keep those plants labeled and organized.

Do-it-yourself props and supports for climbing plants: photos and drawings

Everyone who has a country house, cottage or just a small garden near the entrance cannot imagine his life without flowers. Delicate tulips, bright roses and of course cute unpretentious climbing plants. Their captivating beauty is especially expressive on comfortable supports of various shapes and sizes. Such supports for liana-type plants can be purchased at stores or at construction markets, but do-it-yourself supports are especially charming. Anyone, using clear drawings and looking at a few suitable photos, will be able to create unusual hand-maid props on their own. 9Ol000 Pleasant Neighborhood – Man and Climbing Plants

Liana-type plants spread freely in the garden create a unique atmosphere in your green corner. With them, the estate looks like a piece of the jungle - bright, colorful, refreshing and very cozy. There is nothing better than relaxing in the shade of fragrant plants on a hot day, relaxing and thinking about the beautiful.

Supports will help you create a unique landscape design

Thanks to the successful placement of climbing plants, your territory becomes more places for recreation, shady corners formed by fragrant flowers and lush green leaves. Being in such places uplifts the mood and charges with positive energy. Supports for climbing plants are various devices that allow flowers and other vegetation to fully show their decorative properties, and gardeners - design inclinations and violent imagination.

Triangular supports

These plant supports are fairly simple garden structures. They are made from ordinary straight sticks, which can be cut in the nearest copse. It is better to install such a structure before planting the plants in a permanent place, so as not to damage the delicate roots of the plants.

The process of creating a triangular support is quite simple:

Triangular support ideal for plants such as ornamental beans, clematis, sweet peas.

Arches

The most beautiful and presentable of all plant supports are arches. They are used to decorate entrances, create magical living corridors, zone your site and even organize small romantic corners in the middle of the garden where you can hold wedding ceremonies.

Arch for climbing plants

The easiest way to make an arch with your own hands:

Tip! Do not purchase purely metal structures for arches on your site. In winter, perennial plants can be severely damaged by contact with ice metal.

Support arches are perfect not only for ornamental plants (honeysuckle, ivy, climbing rose) but also for all varieties of cultivated grapes. Thus, the arches perform not only the function of decorating the territory, but also solve practical, economic problems.

Grate

This plant support can be called a garden screen or zone partition. The lattice support is a structure consisting of a flat frame and rails filling it at an angle or at a right angle.

In order to diversify the design of your site with such a decorative structure, you will need:

Grid support

The first step is to knock down a reliable strong frame. Then begin to carefully nail the slats, trying to make cells with a side of no more than 10 cm. After the grate is ready, it must be painted or coated with colored varnish to protect it from rotting and negative atmospheric effects.

Install the grate in its permanent position, anchoring it deep into the ground. Delightful climbing roses and delicate clematis will look most advantageous on such supports.

Attention! Do not combine several types of climbing plants on one garden screen. They may not be combined with each other on various grounds, both biological and decorative.

Garden net trellis

Another simple structure for supporting climbing plants is the trellis. Experienced gardeners successfully use it both in the flower garden and vegetable beds.

To make a trellis you will need:

Garden net

A garden net must be firmly stretched between two supports (poles) dug into the ground. It is advisable to pre-paint or impregnate the pillars with a protective compound so that the support lasts for a long time. It is convenient to fix the mesh with special hooks, but ordinary wire is also suitable, which is easy to tighten with pliers.

Decorative garden structures designed to support the growth and development of climbing plants make your garden more beautiful and well-groomed. Do not be afraid to experiment with the shapes and sizes of supports on your site and delight those around you with the resulting design masterpieces of landscape art.

Making a support for climbing plants: video

Supports for plants in the garden: photo0001

Climbing plants create their own atmosphere in the garden, with them the site looks different - brighter, more colorful, more comfortable. It becomes more places for recreation, secluded corners formed by a living green wall. And if this wall is also in flowers, you are in a good mood, since the energy of flowering plants is very positive. Supports for climbing plants are various devices for the manifestation of their decorative qualities, which also provide plants with proper growth and development.

Supports can be either made by hand or purchased from manufacturers - many companies produce pergolas, arches, trellises especially for climbing plants. At one time, they were not given due attention, hops and girlish grapes were found in the yards, but climbing plants do not deserve oblivion, and today the fashion for creepers and bindweeds has returned again, and with them our gardens have become much more beautiful and comfortable.

Construction #1 - stick support for annual bindweeds

Consider the construction of the simplest support for a climbing plant in the form of a cone. You will need 4-6 strong long sticks, wire or twine and smaller sticks to create a lattice. On the ground we make markings - a square, in the corners - recesses for sticks, fix them in the soil, add the rest, connect the tops and tie them. Then we fix it crosswise on large small sticks. Support is ready.

It can be used in the garden for pumpkins, cucumbers, grapes, and also for flowering plants - sweet pea, purple morning glory, kobe, honeysuckle, ampelous gloxinia, etc. such a support is small in size, it is better to use it for climbing annuals - they are more miniature.

It is very easy to build such a simple support, you do not have to spend money on materials, they can be made as needed. The plot will look more attractive, and you will provide the plants with the correct growth

Ready-made forged supports in various shapes are available for miniature climbing annuals. Ipomoea, ornamental beans, ivy are ideal for them

There are also such ready-made supports for ampelous and climbing annuals, this is an interesting alternative to planters and hanging pots

Construction #2 - Netting Support

For weaving plants, a chain-link mesh with large sections will be an excellent support. You can simply buy one and a half to two meters of canvas and stretch it between two wooden or iron poles. Buy a galvanized chain-link, or, even better, plasticized - it does not rust, it looks aesthetically pleasing. We treat wooden poles with a protective agent, paint metal poles, stretch the mesh, fix it with wire or special hooks - and the support is ready. Over time, the plants will curl it so that the grid almost completely disappears from view, and you get a living green wall that you can place a bench or hammock against.

Support for climbing roses made of chain-link mesh with decorative wooden posts. Carved poles give this support an aesthetic look, and when the roses grow up, it will become a wonderful element for decorating the garden

Chain-link fences, in addition to their protective function, are a good support for climbing plants; parthenocisses or hops, which grow quickly and grow well, will hide the netting from sight especially quickly.

Lightweight grids with a diamond or square pattern, made of wood, metal or plastic, have appeared with us relatively recently. These are pergolas designed specifically for garden decoration and as supports for climbing plants.

Classic pergola - supporting pillars and lattice roof. Wisteria is used as an ornamental climbing plant, resulting in a gallery for walks of amazing beauty

Pergolas are usually combined with such garden decorative elements as an arch, an arbor, a bench. If the bench and pergola form a single structure, then in company with a climbing plant, for example, a campsis, a very picturesque corner is obtained. The classic pergola is a structure of vertical posts with a roof of transverse bars in the form of a lattice. Any vines and climbing plants can grow on the roof. This design looks especially beautiful with girlish grapes, when its leaves turn red in autumn, with wisteria.

Very often the pergola and the arched structure are used as a whole - this is one of the most beautiful decorative elements both on its own and in combination with plants. A double arch with a lattice on top can be placed above a gate, a bench, use arches instead of supporting pillars in a row and create a beautiful gallery. It will look very beautiful with climbing roses.

Forging on the site always looks great, you can order various original pergola arches for the garden and use them as a support for roses, grapes, honeysuckle

Climbing rose arches have already become a classic - today they are widely used for wedding ceremonies and other celebrations, and such an arch or several on the site will create a festive atmosphere in which you will stay every day

Article on the topic: Wooden pergola: how to build and effectively decorate with your own hands

One of the small forms used to decorate the garden is a trellis. Tapestries were widely used in Russian noble estates, they came to us from Europe, where they were used to decorate gardens by both simple peasants and noblemen. Initially, this concept meant a dense planting in a row of low-growing shrubs or trees that form a green vertical wall. Today, a tapestry is also a support in the form of a metal or wooden lattice; a grid stretched between the pillars is also called a tapestry.

Unlike a pergola, a trellis can be an independent support - it can be leaned against the wall of the building, fixed in the right place in the garden. The design can be both light and massive, in a strong frame. You can use both single trellises and a group, creating screens of climbing plants in the garden. Tapestries in the garden, like indoor screens, can be used for zoning the territory.

Such a fence in the form of a trellis hedge is an ornament in itself.

Learn more