If You're Gardening on a Budget, You Have to DIY This TikTok Trellis

Trellises are invaluable structures, practically and aesthetically, for gardeners year round. From plant support and sunlight exposure to space optimization and air circulation, there are dozens of reasons to implement a trellis in your next landscaping project: They provide structure for climbing plants and add beautiful visual appeal to outdoor spaces—not to mention a little bit of privacy from your neighbors.

There’s one problem, though: Large trellises can be costly, ranging from $50 for a single tall trellis to $250 for a wider trellis. Thankfully, budget-savvy home gardeners on TikTok are sharing their tips for creating your own, more affordable version.

If you’d like a trellis to support and train vertical-growing plants like bougainvillea, cucumbers, hops, and other climbing vines without spending the big bucks, head to your local tractor store and pick up some cattle panels. You can use them to create trellis arches that complete your garden with a tunnel of greenery.

“These trellises are really common in the gardening world due to their cost, effectiveness, and durability,” explained TikTok creator @earthnailsandtails in a viral video as he sets up a trellis arch in his backyard.

He suggested using four, 6-foot-tall T-stakes to support the trellis, and hammering them into the ground with a stake driver. Then, simply loop cattle panel across, connecting it to the stakes on either side and creating an arch up above.

“This year, we’ll be using this trellis to grow loofah, green beans, and squash in our main garden," @earthnailsandtails continued in his video. "The panel is pretty light but a little unruly, so take your time or grab a friend to stand it upright.”

There’s even a TikTok hack for moving the cattle panels around once you get them home (it's not fun to get attacked by unruly cattle panel). Simply grab two carabiners and fold the panel, connecting opposite corners of the cattle panel to each other to more easily get it into place when creating the arch.

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that when you search “cattle panel trellis” on TikTok, there are hundreds of videos and over 10.4 million views. With both practicality and charm, these budget-friendly trellises prove to be an asset for anyone looking to elevate their garden's beauty and functionality all at once.