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DIY Cattle Panel Trellis

finished garden arch with melon vines growing on it with the title "diy cattle panel trellis"
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Make your own garden arch with these simple steps to set up a DIY cattle panel trellis.

Table of Contents

Creating a beautiful and functional garden space can be a rewarding experience, and a DIY cattle panel trellis is a fantastic way to achieve both. Whether you’re looking to support climbing plants, enhance your outdoor aesthetics, or even create a cozy nook in your garden, this trellis design is versatile and easy to construct. With just a few materials and simple steps, you can elevate your gardening game and enjoy the benefits of vertical gardening. Let’s dive into how you can craft your very own cattle panel trellis!

Note: Some links in this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no cost to you, I may earn a commission.

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Why use a cattle panel for your trellis?

Cattle panels are typically used for fencing in livestock but have gained popularity in recent years as an excellent material for creating trellises. Here are some reasons why you should consider using cattle panels for your trellis:

  • Sturdy and Durable: Cattle panels are made of heavy-duty galvanized steel, making them strong and long-lasting
  • Easy to Find: You can easily find cattle panels at most garden stores and farm supply stores
  • Cost-Effective: Compared to other materials such as wood or pre-made trellises, a DIY cattle panel trellis is an affordable option for building a trellis
  • Versatile: Cattle panels can be cut to any size to fit your specific garden needs. They’re also typically 4 ft wide, giving you plenty of space to grow your veggies
  • Easy to Shape: Cattle panels are very easy to shape – they naturally form a perfect arch when secured
Jump to Instructions

Don’t forget to pin it so you can easily come back to it later!

two photos of the finished cattle panel trellis and then the garden arch with plants growing on it. the title says "step by step tutorial, diy cattle panel trellis, abcrafty.com"

Materials to Make the Cattle Panel Trellis

Sunnydaze 48.25-Inch Rectangular Wood Raised Garden Bed - Elevated Planter Box for Flower, Vegetable, and Herb Gardening
Sunnydaze 48.25-Inch Rectangular Wood Raised Garden Bed - Elevated Planter Box for Flower, Vegetable, and Herb Gardening
Seboss Hardware Cloth 1/2 inch 48 x 50 ft 19 Gauge - Hot Dip Galvanized After Welding - Chicken Wire Fence Roll Wire Mesh Roll Wire Cloth Welded Wire Fencing Chicken Coop/Run Wire
Seboss Hardware Cloth 1/2 inch 48 x 50 ft 19 Gauge - Hot Dip Galvanized After Welding - Chicken Wire Fence Roll Wire Mesh Roll Wire Cloth Welded Wire Fencing Chicken Coop/Run Wire
MTB SUPPLY Fence Post Driver with Handle, 12LB Black Iron T Post Pole Pounder Hand Post Rammer for U Fence Post Wooden Post
MTB SUPPLY Fence Post Driver with Handle, 12LB Black Iron T Post Pole Pounder Hand Post Rammer for U Fence Post Wooden Post
Upholstery Staple Gun Heavy Duty, YEAHOME 4-in-1 Stapler Gun with 4000 Staples, Manual Brad Nailer Power Adjustment Stapler Gun for Wood, Crafts, Carpentry, Decoration DIY
Upholstery Staple Gun Heavy Duty, YEAHOME 4-in-1 Stapler Gun with 4000 Staples, Manual Brad Nailer Power Adjustment Stapler Gun for Wood, Crafts, Carpentry, Decoration DIY
Garden Kneeler and Seat,with 2 Tool Bags Pouches and Claw Gloves,Portable Lightweight Garden Bench Thicken EVA Foam Pad Sturdy Steel Pipe Practical Garden Tools(Green)
Garden Kneeler and Seat,with 2 Tool Bags Pouches and Claw Gloves,Portable Lightweight Garden Bench Thicken EVA Foam Pad Sturdy Steel Pipe Practical Garden Tools(Green)

Video Instructions

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Instructions to Make a Cattle Panel Trellis

Prepare the Beds

To start, I added wire mesh to the bottom of these garden beds using a staple gun. This will prevent any large critters from getting into the beds. Then I placed some recyclable paper along the bottom to help suppress any weeds.

Using a sawsall to cut grass around a garden bed

My husband marked a section around the beds, cut into them, and dug out the grass. He did this for both bed areas, spacing them around 6 feet apart. We determined the distance based on lifting the cattle panel between them into an arch and moving the beds further and closer together based on how tall we wanted them.

pulling up grass from a sectioned off area

Secure the Cattle Panel

Next, we, well my husband, aligned 6 foot fence posts and used the fence post driver to dig them into the ground. He also used a level to make sure they were standing straight up.

Note: While a fence post driver isn’t necessary, I highly recommend it as it was much less work to get the posts in. This is similar to the one we have.

using a post driver to place t fence posts

Once the first two posts were in, it was time to lift the panel into place (this is the one we used). The panel thankfully arches nicely, making it easy to place it against the posts that are in the ground. It should hold its shape, but if it does start slipping, you can place something sturdy behind it to hold it in place or have a helper

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lifting a cattle panel into an arch against two t posts

Next we added zip ties around the cattle panel and posts to ensure it all stays in place. We put a zip tie at each rung of the cattle panel all the way up the posts.

Then we repeated the process on the other side, putting the other two posts in and adding the zip ties.

Note: Make sure the zip ties are heavy duty, such as these.

placing a zip tie around the cattle panel and fence post

Fill the Beds

Next, we filled the beds with soil and topped it with a few inches of cedar mulch. We also filled in the sections on the ground around the beds with mulch as well.

spreading mulch over a garden bed

Next, it was time to plant the seeds. These are just a few of the varieties I planted, but the two cantaloupes in the middle ended up being my favorites and the ones I’ll plant again next year. It’s the Minnesota Midget variety and the Charentais varieties.

Note: Thee seeds are on top of my garden bench and I can not recommend this thing enough! You can sit on it like a chair or flip it over and kneel on it. This is similar to the one I have.

four types of melon seeds on top of a garden bench

Because the vines are in the air, you can actually plant your seeds closer together than you normally would because they get more air between the plants, helping prevent diseases such as powdery mildew. Just be sure to label them or you will very likely forget what is what, like I did.

Here’s the layout of how I planted my seeds.

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layout of seed placement for the garden beds

Here’s how the trellis arch looks when it’s done. You can walk through it and everything!

finished DIY cattle panel trellis with two raised beds next to it

 As the vines grow, you want to attach them to the trellis – I used velcro garden tape (this one). And be sure to do any necessary pruning (I like my ratcheting sheers – these are the ones I have)

I started my cattle panel trellis back in May and now it’s towards the end of August and here’s how everything did over the summer. We have a bunch of the melons doing nicely.

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cattle panel trellis with melon vines growing on it

Frequently Asked Questions

What plants can I grow on a cattle panel trellis?

You can grow various climbing plants on a cattle panel trellis, such as beans, peas, cucumbers, melons, gourds, passion vine, and squashes. Varieties that have long vines do best to fill out the space over the arch. And if fruits/veggies aren’t your thing, you can also plant vining flowers!

Do you need to use a raised bed with the cattle panel trellis?

Nope! This isn’t necessary, but you want to make sure the soil next to the trellis is good quality and fertile. I used raised beds next to mine as living in Nashville, we have very dense clay soil so I wanted a foundation of good soil for my plants.

How do you build a garden tunnel with the cattle panel trellises?

You can take the trellis a step further and build a full garden tunnel by lining up the panels next to each other. The added step you want to do is secure the sides of the panels to each other using zip ties and ensure the arches are the same.

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finished garden arch with melon vines growing on it with the title "diy cattle panel trellis"

Cattle Panel Trellis

Make your own garden arch with these simple steps to set up a DIY cattle panel trellis.
Yield 1 Trellis
Print Pin Share Tweet
Project Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Materials
  

  • 2 Raised Beds 2x4 ft
  • 1/2 inch wire mesh
  • 1 Cattle Panel 4x16 ft
  • 4 Fence Posts 6 ft
  • Heavy duty zip ties
  • Soil
  • Mulch

Equipment

  • 1 Post Driver
  • 1 Staple Gun

Instructions
 

  • Use a staple gun to add wire mesh to the bottom of the beds.
    1/2 inch wire mesh, 2 Raised Beds
    Using a sawsall to cut grass around a garden bed
  • Clear away the grass from under and around the beds.
    pulling up grass from a sectioned off area
  • Use a post driver to put the t posts into the ground.
    4 Fence Posts
    using a post driver to place t fence posts
  • Lift the cattle panel into place and secure it to the posts with zip ties. Repeat on the other side.
    1 Cattle Panel, Heavy duty zip ties
    lifting a cattle panel into an arch against two t posts
  • Move the beds into place and fill them with soil and a few inches of mulch.
    Soil, Mulch
    finished DIY cattle panel trellis with two raised beds next to it

Video

Keyword Cattle Panel, Gardening, Nature, Trellis
Picture of Daniela

Daniela

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