How to Make a Trellis for Beans & Peas

Amend the soil in your planting site to a depth of 1 foot. Lay 2 inches of quick-draining soil and 3 inches of compost on top of the planting site, and dig the amendment into this top layer of soil. This gives peas and beans the ideal growing foundation, and loosens the soil for your trellis construction.

Push a 6-foot stake into the ground 4 inches behind each bean or pea plant. Push the stake down 1 foot or until it's secure in the soil. If you've planted multiple rows of beans or peas, slant pairs of these stakes toward each other to meet at the top in an "A" frame. Use wire to secure the poles at their tops. If you've planted only one row of peas or beans, wrap wire around the top of the first pole in line and run it to the next pole. Wrap the wire around the top of that pole and move to the next, until you reach the last pole. Clip the wire and tie it off, then build a second "story" of wire 2 feet below the first.

Tie bean and pea plants up to the structure when they get tall enough. Use soft felt ties to tie the main vines loosely to the trellis. Wrap the vines around the trellis as they get longer to train the plants to grow along the wood. Don't tie the ties too tightly, as it will damage the plants. Don't tie foliage or flowering stems, as those will break.