Cattle Guards used as arbors/tunnels (has anyone used them)

I saw a photo somewhere that used these, only thing is they were completely covered with vines and could not tell if they were made out of wire/mesh or what. Does anyone know where to get them or has anyone used them for arbors. I understand they are quite long and wide to where they can be folded over like a tunnel. Will be going to the feedstore in the next town over to see if they have some there. Sounds like a great idea to me. Anyone having any input or advice regarding this subject is greatly appreciated.

Hi Gourd,Your farm supply store should have cattle panels.I use them to make all kinds of neat things.For a trellis you can use a 16'panel.To hold each 16 foot panel in an arch,i used four T-posts and plastic cable ties to secure each corner of the panel to the post.If i remember correctly they will measure 6' to 6'5 in each dimension-height and width.Plenty of room for me to walk right under the tunnel and pick vegetables that are hanging down.I grow all kinds of vining veggies on them.I also made a greenhouse out of one.Here is a link to some pictures to give you an idea.If you will e-mail me your address,i will send you a picture of a garden in use with one.I would post the picture here but it's not my photo and it came from GW and i can't find the person to ask her if i can post it here.
http://www.plamondon.com/hoophouse.html

Just want to say thank you for the photo and I love it. It is perfect, that is what I wanted and I love the three in a row, it looks great that way. I forgot to ask what the price of them are. This coming weekend will try to get them, if not, will during the week. Thanks again. Antoinette

Hi Gourd,you can also do a search in the search box here at Daves-just type in Cattle Panels-you will see other topics on making a trellis.I paid about 15 dollars for each of my panels.I hope this helps.Bitty

I still have not been able to find these at any local sources. Do these go by any other name. Maybe they need to be special ordered. Does anyone know another name they go by.

Do you have a Tractor Supply (that's a store name) nearby? Ask them.

Thanks darius,

Will look for one now. Boy, are they hard to find here.

Gourd,

I heard you were looking for these panels. I bought mine at a feed supply, found them at a number of those, plus Tractor Supply, and even Lowes! I heard them referred to as "livestock panels". They are welded wire, and come on different size grids - 4"x4", 4"x6", etc. Just call around. (At Lowes, they were in the garden center.) Good luck!

This is an arbor made with some, at The Antique Rose Emporium

Thank you Maggiemoo,

Yes, I think you are right, I did find something that is called welded wire livestock panels on the web, and printed it out. Hopefully i can get some ordered for me locally. The ones I want are the 16 footers to make arbor/tunnel-like arches for some peas and mgs.. What determination a gardener has. I love that photo. Thanks for the info, it helped a great deal.

Antoinette

Hello Antoinette,

We have them all over our property with various things growing on them, you
can't ask for a better arch or tunnel material.

You might ask for cattle panels at your local (hopefully) metal supply. Many
welders should be able to steer you in the right direction to find them. You can
also ask a farm supply or feed store about them, chances are they carry them.

Our local feed store is very small, but available nonetheless.

Below you will find a link to an arch next to our gate on a chain link fence.
Though the picture is over a year old, it has filled in very nicely and is
a safe haven for birds now and then.

Very pretty when in bloom, too!

Wuvie -- what do you have growing on your arch? I grew gourds on my cattle panel which worked out well as far as gourds go but never filled in leaf-wise ...

Oh this is great.. I love your photos..

Well, we found some and they will be delivered next week. Since we ordered some lumber for the raised beds we figured they could deliver them at the same time..

Boy those look great, I can hardly wait for mine to go up.

Got the Utility panels with the smaller holes, don't remember exactly the size of the hole, but they were 5' by 16 '... also want to grow some green beans on them.

Hi Crock,

The arch is covered in Silver Lace Vine. While it is
gorgeous and fills in nicely in summer, I actually liked
Euonymous (Wintercreeper) on one better. That is,
until an ice storm demolished it. :-(

Alas, another season, another cattle panel, and we'll
get it back again.

:-) KM

I'm going to use cattle panels attached to upright poles to stake tomatoes and beans. I also hope to use a few to make a hoop house but money may be too tight this year... many other projects going on.

Hi there darius,
yeah, me too, going to use a couple for peas, greenbeans and some gourds.. will take a photo in a couple of weeks when we get done. I want to stand them length wise in the middle of a couple of the garden beds for snap peas too.

Wuvie, yours looks great, I hope mine fill out like that.

A.

finally got my cattle panels.. in two weeks they will go up hopefully.

Yay! Mine have been up for quite a while, unused. I have 2 end-to-end so I have a nice sized tunnel. I'm putting in a raised bed along each side, and will plant nasturtiums and dipper gourds on one side, and nasturtiums and wine pipettes on the other. I read in some companion planting book the nasturtiums are good for them but can't remember specifically why.

Wuvie:

What kind of wintercreeper would grow up that high? I've only seen low growing ones ... maybe they grow bigger in your zone?

Hello Crock,

I'm so sorry, I haven't been back to this thread in a while.

The Euonymous you have seen is likely the shorter, ground cover types,
whereas what I put on my panel, as well as that which climbs waaaaay up
our trees, is a climbing variety. It was planted at the base of a tree and has
climbed above the house and then some, then dangling down again.

It has provided numerous cuttings about our yard and gardens,
to say the least.

Not for the faint of heart gardener, and considered 'invasive'.
It has a pretty nasty reputation, so you might wish to consider alternatives.

Here is a good read on the bad stuff:

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/invasivetutorial/climbing_euonymus.htm

KM

Here's mine - I'm going to add 3' high fencing to the bottom once the gourds have sprouted.

Nice garden!! Jo

I grew gourds on mine last year and this year we cut them up and I'm going to grow tomatoes and peas up them ... will get our money's worthy anyway!