Cheapest Trellis You've Ever Seen!

Jnette , most farm ,feed stores carry them . Cost more there tho .

Jnette, I hope somebody with some expertise gets back to you, I'm curious too!

In my experience, Morning Glory's need at least 8 hours of full sun to bloom well. The only MG that seem to do well in pots are the trailing MG's like Shidare or Sunsmiles and then need to be watered twice a day at best when the weather is hot .. at least in my zone. I'm amazed that yours seem to have stopped growing when in full sun. Best to grow climbing MG's in the ground or pots no smaller than 2 gallon.

Also MG rooted cuttings sometimes won't bloom at all.

Thanks Digger, I will check that. What do they call them in those places?

Well, I guess I can kiss those MGs goodby. Too bad, they were expensive. Think I got them from the UK.

Still have pic. I printed out from Wire-bond site. Will carry it with me to stores.

Also, called our feed store about cattle panels. They are 16' long and $36.00 ea.
Worse part is I would have to buy bolt cutters to cut them with so that tells me they are very thick wire.

If I can find the wire mesh ladders I'm sure they would be much easier to work with.
I haven't forgotton about them just have had other projects that had to be done first.

Bonnie

It depends on what you want them for Bonnie. Gosh, those cattle panels are really expensive. I paid $18 for mine, but that was about 6 or so years ago. If you are just putting light weight vines on them I would go with the others. But if you are going to put something like Trumpet Vine, or Kiwi vines, that are very heavy, I would go with the cattle panels. They would be there for years so the expense would be worth it.

Have you shopped around? HD, Lowes, etc. might have them. Would be, should be, cheaper than that.

M g's are so invasive here . No thanks .
That's ridiculous for cattle panels . Call around to all farm supplies and McCoys hardware if you have one in that area . Shouldn't be over 16-20 dollars apiece .

Still can't believe $36 for cattle panels. Are you sure you got that right? Nobody pays that. I would tell them so. Ask them why they are so high? Maybe they made a mistake in pricing them.

Awwwwwwwww.... it's good to have knowledgeable friends!

Well, let us know what you do. What you find out there. Jen

Forget the bolt cutter ,not enough uses for the price . Get an angle grinder . It's electric and can be used for many jobs , cutting the top off of nails that refuse to come out , as well as bolts that break off . You will use it for a lot of jobs that pop up . Cheap too .

Problem there Sally, is that you have to be near electricity to use it. The bolt cutters can be used anywhere. Guess it depends on each person's situation.

That's why God invented generators .LOL

Come on Sally, I thought you said cheaper.

We cut cattle panels with DHs reciprocating saw which is cordless rechargeable. Cheap? Not at all but the guy already had to tool!

Haven't priced cattle panels lately but all I can say is OUCH!
Depending on which one it is, I guess the prices aren't too out of line. http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&pageSize=&beginIndex=0&searchSource=Q&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&pageView=image&autoSuggestURL=AutoSuggestView%3FcoreName%3DMC_10001_CatalogEntry_en_US%26serverURL%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252ftsc-prod-lb01.crossview.inc%253a3737%252fsolr%252fMC_10001_CatalogEntry_en_US&searchTerm=cattle+panel

Well, even Tractor Supply's to my zip code is $21.99 and the closest one to me is Laurel, Montana, no idea where that is, so not bad to get it to me for that price. Can't imagine why your quote is so high. Maybe that is their "in store" price. Don't know.

Still say Home Depot would be the place to try. Bonnie,do you have a Tractor Supply near you, or a HD? Lowes? Hardware stores? They all would have them. I can't remember, think you said your quote was from a feed store?

19.99 in my store . Didn't check everything , but consider shipping , is High !Wouldn't even consider buying online , unless they could be picked up at store .
Those feeder lot panels are expensive , maybe that's what you were looking at .

I was at a Lowes recently, in suburban Seattle so no cattle panels. But in the indoor lumber area they have a stack of "Mesh Sheets" which are 84"x 42", for $7.20 each which seems like a good price for a trellis. The squares look about 6" or so. It is like the masonry ladder Xeramtheum first mentioned (I was hoping to find the skinny ones). I have a bolt cutter though, so I might get one and cut it up to make my skinny tall trellis for a Clematis 'Bill MacKenzie' I am growing up a deck post.
I don't totally like the shiny metal look, would prefer rust. Does anyone know it these rust? When you see rebar sticking out of old concrete it always seems rusty.

Mimi , I don't know if they rust or not , but you can spray or brush paint them with Rustoleum paint for metal if you like .

I checked feed store first cause thats where we buy all our cow feed. We have a grinder. I plan to check at Lowes for the steel remesh now that I know the name. I want something I can haul out into garden put it tog. and set it up. Alamanda I have ia very thin vine so should support it with no problem. If I were putting something like wisteria on it I'd go for cattle panels.
We have been going to treatments every day for 3 weeks for my husb. and have 3 more weeks to go so haven't got much of anything done outside lately but I will when these trips are overwith. Hour up, hour there and hour home is a real pain but hopefully he will feel better from it.
Thanks to all for your suggestions.
Bonnie

Bonnie, so sorry to hear of your husband's problems. After the treatments, and I don't know what they are for, will he be able to get around?

Seems like this is the year that everyone I know is falling apart. Really awful feeling. Wish you both well.

Yes ~ 2013 has been a fall apart year! And it doesn't seem to be over yet...

Just a note to watch on the metal cattle panels in the heat of the south. Tender vines growing on metal in full sun sometimes get scorched from the heat of the metal. Just a mention to watch for this in case...

Good thought Podster! Our days here in the Eastern part of Washington gets scorchers. 300 days of sunshine here in this area with 100+ days MANY days of the summer.

here you go

Thanks Danasplants .
I used the side rails and bottoms of a metal futon bed for trellis in the shade . I drive t posts in on the sides and wire the rails to them .

I use 2x2's make a frame then staple plastic webbing like chicken wire but plastic doesn't rust

Having caught this thread only recently, today I went looking at Home Depot in Delaware for the masonry ladder wire pieces next to the rebar, and there they were! I bought two pieces for a very small price and plan to train some vines on them. Thanks so much.

Like you, I just found this thread and am SO glad I did! GREAT IDEA!

Jnette, Husb. is now 80 and I'm 77 and still going. Not strong but still going. We are still bldg. and repairing things around our place ourselves, thanks be to the Lord.
Haven't got those cattle panels or mesh pieces but hopefully will one day. I know the cattle panels would outlast me but that's good. Once put up and planted they will be very permanent.

We are excited to have our youngest son and family planning to build a new home right near to us. We are giving him 5 acres of our pasture to build on. He will keep a few cows too plus let ours keep grazing in his back land. The site is best one on the place. Slight hill and right along our main road. All the permitting he has to go through amazes me. The county has a charge for every little thing. Guess it's like that everywhere. Ever hear of an impact fee to fund schools and roads. It's 11,500. her and in some lower Fl. counties it's $20,000. That's just the beginning. They have to sell their present home first or rent it which I'm against as that would mean 2 mortgages. I don't like taking financial chances. His wife is a realtor so hopefully it will sell soon. He is so waiting to build his own koi pond and take his fish out of my pond. I have already started some shrubbery and plants in pots they can have if they want them. If not they will go for RU in Oct. I probably will have here.

Hope you all stay well and enjoy your gardens.
Bonnie D.

Bonnie it sounds great that your future is going to be so exciting with your son and family building next to you. Does he plan a very big koi pond? I know the fish will grow as big as they have room to. I have seen some awfully big ones. It all sounds wonderful. And, especially that you and your husband are healthy enough to enjoy it for many years to come.

WOW Bonnie, YOU and Husband are AMAZING!

Bonnie I saw a koi pond in the middle of a plant nursery some years ago and they had put a slice of watermelon in there. It was floating and those fish were almost fighting over it. Taking big bites.

The koi and goldfish will love getting lettuce and leaves of greens too .They will destroy pond plants eating them .Most fish will nibble on green plants .

Bet they are interesting to have and to watch. Good luck with your health, and enjoy your son and family during the building of the house. Should be fun. Jnette

We sure are looking forward to the bldg. process. We did 3 homes by ourselves and I'm sure glad that is over with. Son will hire it contractor built. He is an electrician so he will wire it himself I think.

My koi love watermelon too and orange slices. Peas they go nuts over also.
I've tried lots of plants in pots in ponds and they have wrecked them except for the umbrella plants which stay above the water. They seem to love anything green. They eat smarter than I do.

Happy gardening and ponding all.

I have a watermelon that will be my breakfast , lunch and dinner tomorrow . It's in the fridg getting good and cold .

Sounds good Digger, I will join you. >smile< 'nite. jen

Wish you could Jen . If you ever get this way , come on by and as close as my sister is to you , maybe we will meet someday .

Good post with lots of information and good pictures. I showed it to hubby. He doesn't seem interested. We don't have HD here-30 miles is the closest. I'm guessing they don't have the Masonry Ladder around here.

Xran: any MG's blooming now. I'll bet you have a beautiful collection.

We have had lots of thunderstorms so yard looks like a jungle. Everything is growing like mad. Due to heat I'm not working outside very much. Can't wait for winter to come and then I'll catch up. I'm sure you have heat to deal with too.

There is always chores that need doing inside of house. Right now I have a grand dgt. that is waiting for me to make 2 canopies for her little ones canopy beds that were handed down from my kids from years ago. I love those beds and am glad they are still in the family.

Happy gardening to all.
Bonnie D.