How to Install Treated Fence Posts for Muscadine Trellis

Round, juice-filled muscadine grapes become heavy as they mature. Training the vines to grow on a trellis relieves a lot of that weight, preventing damage to the vine. A trellis also allows for easier access to the grapes for care and harvesting. One of the most effective designs is the single-wire trellis with an anchored end post. Vines grow across a single wire stretched about 5 feet above the ground along fence posts. Using termite- and rot-resistant treated lumber for the trellis posts increases the life of the trellis and lessens the need for replacements.

Post hole digger or auger
2 5- by-5-inch, 10-foot-long pressure-treated posts
Shovel
2 40-inch earth anchors with a 4-inch to 6-inch helix
9-guage wire
4- by-4-inch, 8-foot-long pressure-treated posts
2- or 3-inch heavy-duty construction staples
Staple gun
Wire cutters

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a hole 3 feet deep at a 60-degree angle at about 7 feet from the starting end of the line. Use a post hole digger or an auger for the task. Angle the hole away from the line.
- 2
  Place one 5- by 5-inch, 10-foot-long pressure-treated post into the hole. Backfill the hole with dirt, using the shovel and packing the dirt in tightly around the post.
- 3
  Twist one 40-inch earth anchor with a 4- to 6-inch helix into the ground at the starting point of the line until only the eye is above ground. Angle the anchor at 60 degrees facing toward the line.
- 4
  Thread the wire through the eye of the anchor and secure it by twisting the end around the longer length of wire.
- 5
  Wrap the wire twice around the top of the end post at a height of 6 feet above ground. Secure the wire to the post with about four or five staples around the post, using a staple gun.
- 6
  Dig a hole 2 feet deep, 7 feet down the line from the end post. Place one 4- by 4-inch, 8-foot-long pressure-treated post into the hole. Backfill with dirt, packing the dirt in tightly around the post.
- 7
  Dig a hole 2 feet deep, 20 feet down the line from the line post placed in Step 6. Place one 4- by 4-inch, 8-foot-long pressure-treated post into the hole. Backfill with dirt, packing the dirt in tightly around the post. Continue placing line posts every 20 feet down the planting line until your are about 14 feet from the very end.
- 8
  Dig a hole 3 feet deep at a 60-degree angle at about 7 feet from the last line post with the post hole digger or an auger. Angle the hole away from the line. Place one 5- by 5-inch, 10-foot-long pressure-treated post into the hole. Backfill the hole with dirt, using the shovel and packing the dirt in tightly around the post.
- 9
  Twist one 40-inch earth anchor with a 4- to 6-inch helix into the ground at the starting point of the line until only the eye is above ground. Angle the anchor at 60 degrees facing toward the line.
- 10
  Secure the wire to the top of the first line post with two or three staples. Run the wire to the next line post, keeping it taut and securing it to the top of the post with two or three staples. Continue stringing the wire allow the line posts, securing it to the tops of each post with two or three staples.
- 11
  Wrap the wire twice around the top of the end post at a height of 6 feet above ground. Secure the wire to the post with about four or five staples around the post using a staple gun. Thread the wire through the eye of the anchor and secure it by twisting the end around the longer length of wire. Cut off the excess wire with wire cutters.

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