Agricultural-craft expert Tammy Algood of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service demonstrates a technique for creating a garden trellis from twigs. Make the trellis large for use outdoors or small enough to place in an indoor flowerpot. Materials:
Willow twigs or thin, fresh garden twigs (gather them yourself or purchase from a garden center)
Water
Tub
Vase
Garden clippers
Floral wire
Wire cutters
Raffia
Scissors
- Soak willow twigs in water to soften them and make them pliable. Keep twigs fresh by placing the cut ends in a vase filled with water.
- Cut twigs for the trellis's upright pieces to the desired size.
- Place five twigs together, and secure them at one end with wire (figure A).
- Fan out the twigs so they're wide apart at the top (figure B).
- Create the first crosspiece by placing a willow twig approximately 6" from the top of the upright pieces. Extend the crosspiece about 4" beyond the two outside twigs (figure C).
- Wire the crosspiece in place where it intersects each of the five upright twigs (figure D).
- Add five or six more crosspieces, using willow twigs for each and wiring them wherever they intersect the upright twigs. Space them about 6" apart.
- Wrap raffia over all the wire, covering it (figure E).
- To make a smaller trellis for a flowerpot, use only two upright pieces and three or four crosspieces placed in ladder fashion, keeping the two upright pieces separated at the bottom (figure F).
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