Trellises? Check!

This weekend, hubby and I built trellises. Lots of trellises. For the front yard, we used rebar, circuit pipe, and nylon tomato netting. Thankfully, we got some recycled resources for it. This is the official "Square Foot Gardening" method of trellising I am learning for my coaching certificate.

The trellises on the "back" (north) two beds are 7 feet tall, the "front" two are 5 feet. I'm hoping the pole beans, watermelon, and vining tomatoes will go the distance and make an awesome display! I started putting the tomatoes in the ground yesterday. Five tomatoes in so far, room for 3 more. We do love our salads and salsa around here!

Here in the backyard, we're set up a bit more casually. In one of my two semi-shady beds, I have planted 2 rows (14 squares) of sugar snap peas, then some bush beans, broccoli, and assorted flowers. Happily, peas don't seem to mind the lower sun levels of my tree-eclipsed backyard. Last year the vines overgrew my 6 foot supports by a mile! So this week, I rescued some bamboo poles from the neighbor who was clearing his front yard and rigged up a cheap-but-functional trellis that is over 10 feet tall. I've started weaving some yarn around the bottom of the bamboo to give the pea tendrils something to hold on to. For now, the broccoli-and-beans section is still netted over, until the beans are well up and not so desirable to the crows and squirrels.

What have I learned recently? Tomato stalks are VERY brittle. Good think they easily re-root in water... Slugs must have bok choy radar systems. Always be on the lookout for free materials. One man's trash (bamboo, rebar) is another GARDENER'S treasure! And I am very, very thankful for my hubby who supports and sweats for my garden dreams...