Build Your Own Trellis

Happy monday! I can't believe another weekend has just flown by! How did Monday already get here?! Anyway, today's post is going to be something a little bit different. This weekend, Adam and I decided to tackle a project we have been putting off. A while ago, Adam brought home a hop plant. It has since been sitting on our kitchen windowsill, and has been slowly entangling itself on our blinds.

We knew that we would need to build some kind of system that the plant could grow up and around. We decided to make a small trellis. First, we decided on a location. It needed to be far enough away from the house, and also far enough away from the producing apple trees surrounding our house, as hops are quite vigorous. We decided on this spot.

Unfortunately for me, the spot was covered with weeds. So, I got busy with the hoe and rake. After that, we had to gather our supplies. Here's a quick list of everything we used for this project: saw, permanent marker, 2 trellis poles cut to 10 feet long (you could use tall fencing poles), 2x4 cut to 4 feet long, a post pounder, extra tall ladder, 2 1/2 inch long carpentry screws, power drill, hop plant. 

After getting rid of all the weeds, I measured the trellis poles and cut them to 10 feet long. Then, from the bottom of the pole (the pointy end), I measured up 2 feet and drew a line all the way around. This gives you a guide for how far to pound it into the ground. So, your trellis will be 8 feet tall. I also measured and cut the 2x4 to 4 feet long. Once that was finished, we used the 2x4 as a guide for where to place the trellis poles. 

lookin' good with those boots, hun.

After that was figured out, we started using the post pounder. Well, Adam did. That sucker was heavy.

get it!

Once the poles were in place, the 2x4 was attached to the tops of the poles with the screws. That's it. Seriously. All that was left was planting the hops.

I know it sure doesn't look like much now, but Adam expects the hops to have made their way all the way around the trellis by the end of July. Who knows, maybe we will be making our own beer in the near future!

That wraps up Monday's post! I hope everyone has a great start to their week. I get to babysit my niece, Adeline, this afternoon. I'm excited for some auntie time!

Talk to you soon!