A trellis for the clematis can be made of different materials. The only important thing is that the individual elements are not too strong so that the tendrils can wind around them comfortably and stably. As long as you pay attention to this point and the scaffolding is sufficiently stable, there should be no problems. And precisely because the demands are not that high, it is also entirely possible for you to build a suitable climbing aid for clematis yourself. We summarize what you should consider and give you a few simple ideas to give your climbing plants the support they need.
What you should consider before making the trellis
There are different types and varieties that also grow to different sizes. Some people need larger distances between the individual slats than others. In general, larger species can wrap around rods up to one centimeter thick. Smaller varieties benefit more from wire ropes that are stretched between pieces of wood or metal, for example. You can just as easily stretch wire mesh in front of a wall or wall. The distance between the slats can be up to 10 cm, while a total width of around 30 cm is optimal. A metal trellis is just as suitable as one made of wood, but for a DIY project the second variant proves to be easier to implement.
You can use the climbing aid on the house wall, a wall orbuild freestanding. With the free-standing version, however, you have to make sure that it is well anchored in the ground and is stable. Here you can also reduce the width to 20 cm. A height of 150 to 180 cm should be sufficient, depending on the variety.
First, gather the necessary materials and tools. Then you can quickly and easily build your own climbing aid for clematis. We'll first show you a really simple example with which you can build a trellis out of branches yourself to either get a free-standing version or to support your potted clematis. You will then receive an idea for the house wall or for a partition/screen.
Pyramid-shaped framework for pots or gardens made from branches
No matter whether in a bed or a pot, if you build this trellis yourself, start with three large branches that you put together in a pyramid shape. This means that they are wide apart at the bottom and intersect at the top. If you use the climbing aid forClematis in a potbuild, the lower ends are located directly on the edge of the container. This leaves enough free space in the middle for the plant. Tie the branches together at the top. Using smaller branches that you cut to size, create a few more tiers by always connecting two of the thick branches together. Again, it is enough if you tie everything securely with twine.
You can take a closer look at the individual steps in the video.
Build your own wooden trellis
For this model you need wooden strips that you can connect together as you wish, for example by attaching them offset. If you decide to attach the strips to a wall, fence or privacy panels, you will need to leave space between them so that the vines can weave through. To do this, simply nail or screw vertical strips to the wall, two on the left and right and, if necessary, a few in between if the trellis is to be very wide and serve several wild vines.
You then connect these vertical strips with the horizontal ones. Since they are on the vertical ones, there is a small distance that should be enough for the tendrils.
Don't forget to paint the moldings in advance to make them more weatherproof.
You can also build this model yourself in the form of a free-standing climbing aid for clematis. In this case, you will still need wooden beams to which you can attach the wooden strips. In order to anchor the beams well in the ground, you also need so-called ground sleeves. These are first attached to the beams and then hammered into the ground together with the beam. You can then connect the beams to the strips. Alternatively, you can also set up a trellis or net for the climbing plants to climb up.
A simple wire rope is just as suitable. Drill hooks or eyes into the beams and connect them horizontally to the wire. Afterwards, you can tie wire vertically to create a grid, but you don't have to.
Build your own climbing aid for clematis using beams and string
A vertical beam with a horizontal board or bar at the top and bottom creates the perfect base for a small scaffolding. Tie string around the board/bar at intervals and then stretch it down to the other board. You can also cut the horizontal elements to prevent the cord from slipping. In the picture you can see how exactly the cord should be tensioned in order to give the plant's tendrils good support.
You can learn how to properly care for clematis afterwardsread here.
