Repurpose Old Trampoline Springs For A Long-Lasting And Sturdy Wire Trellis

Garden trellises aren't just useful for maximizing space in your backyard. They allow for better air circulation among the leaves of your plants, protect those plants from pests on the ground, and make it easer for you to pick your vegetables when it's harvest time. They're great for climbing plants like cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, or squash, and if you'd like to maximize your outdoor garden space on a budget, just build a trellis on your own using items you already have. All you need are wooden stakes, pliers, a sledgehammer, a measuring tape, steel wire, screw hooks, and one other (possibly familiar) item.

After the kids move out, sometimes childhood relics litter the backyard like the ruins of a past society. The tree house still clings to that sturdy oak, and just beneath it, the trampoline is there, collecting a soggy blanket of last summer's leaves. Keep the memories, and salvage the springs for your DIY trellis. Since these coiled attachments are held to trampoline with heavy tension, removing them can be tricky if you don't have the right tools. But you can easily take them off with a coat hanger. Loop the hook of the hanger through the hook of the spring where it connects to the trampoline frame and pull the spring free. You'll probably need about six springs, and these will be ideal for supporting heavy plants, like grape vines. Just make sure to pack up the trampoline once you're finished because it won't be safe to jump on anymore. 

To get started on your DIY trellis, you should start by putting some stakes in the ground. Decide where you want your row of crops to be, and then line up the two stakes on opposite ends of that row. Use your sledgehammer to plant the stakes deep enough that they're firm when you push on them because they need to hold up against the tension of the wire. If the ground is too soft for your stakes to stand firmly against that tension, try something sturdier, like a post. If you must resort to this option, you'll need to dig a couple feet deep with post hole diggers, place the post in the hole, and then pack dirt tightly around it.

Before you get started, use your measuring tape and a pencil to mark spots on the stakes or posts where you want to attach your wires. Once you've marked those spots, you can screw the hooks, and then, you'll attach your springs to them. The final step of this project involves running the steel wire through the hooks at the ends of each spring and using your pliers to bend the ends of each wire to create tails that you can twist until the wires are securely attached to their springs. Make sure the wires are drawn firm so that the trellis doesn't sag in the center.

There are plenty of other ways to DIY the perfect garden trellis. For example, you can make a simple trellis using a window frame or the gate of a stainless steel fence. But the DIY backyard projects don't have to end once you complete your trellis; you can also repurpose an old metal outdoor chair for an adorable bird bath.