How To Build a Cattle Panel Trellis Arbor for Your Garden

I love seeing a beautiful trellis arch, full of foliage, overtop a walkway with fruit draping down from it. Whether it has melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, gourds, flowers, pole beans, or even small pumpkins growing on it, it is a majestic statement piece in the garden!

After I built two sturdy cattle panel trellis arbors in my garden, I wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner. They are amazing! Now you can use this guide to learn how to build your own DIY trellis.

DIY Garden Projects

I love to share DIY projects like DIY fruit and vegetable wash, homemade seed starting mix, seed saving at home, and DIY pest prevention methods to help people learn new skills and keep costs low. Because who doesn’t want to be thrifty in the garden?

Among those projects are my free vertical gardening designs. I’ve already shared how to build a DIY cucumber trellis, a sturdy grape vine trellis, and a Florida weave trellis for tomatoes. Now, I’m sharing one of my favorites: a cattle panel trellis.

Arbor Appeal

Arbors and trellises can add interest and charm to a garden while maximizing efficiency by utilizing vertical growing space. However, buying pre-made trellises can be cost-prohibitive for many gardeners, especially if they want multiple trellises.

This DIY cattle panel trellis design can save you hundreds of dollars! It is an awesome investment for years to come.

It is strong and surprisingly easy to assemble. Everything in the design is made of metal, so it won’t break or deteriorate. It will last a lifetime!

Why Use Cattle Panels

A cattle panel is a rectangular section of heavy-gauge wire fencing traditionally used for keeping livestock. It is galvanized to prevent corrosion and rust.

I've found cattle panels very useful in the garden! Their strong grid pattern is great for supporting vegetables and climbing plants, and yet an entire panel has enough flexibility to bend into a U-shape, creating a perfect arch.

Supplies Needed to Build a Cattle Panel Trellis

To build a cattle panel trellis, you will need a few materials and tools, all of which you should be able to purchase at your local hardware store:

• Cattle Panel - I recommend purchasing one 16-foot-long cattle panel for each trellis. The 16-foot length will create an archway tall enough to walk under easily. Pro-Tip: Pay attention to the height of the panel when purchasing. The height of the cattle panel will dictate how wide your trellis is. You can find them in 3, 4, 5, and sometimes 8-foot heights.

• Four 5-Foot T-Posts - You will need two T-posts for each side of your trellis. The T-posts will ensure that the panel stays in place permanently.

• Metal Wire - I like to use metal wire to secure the cattle panel to the T-posts. You can use zip ties, but metal wire is more durable and won’t need replacing for a very long time.

• Hammer - Grab a hammer or mallet to drive the T-posts into the ground.

• Wire Cutters - You will need a tool to cut the metal wire into segments.

• Gloves - While these are optional, work gloves are a good idea to protect your hands from cuts when working with metal.

• Measuring Tape - *Optional: A measuring tape can be used to measure the distance between T-posts, but I didn’t find it necessary.

Arched Trellis Step-by-Step Assembly Instructions

1. Trellis Location - Pick a permanent location to build your trellis, like over a walkway or at the entrance of your garden. I oriented my trellis over a walkway with the sides facing north and south so that it won’t cast a shadow over other plants. Pro-Tip: Placing each side of the trellis in a raised bed like I do in the video is a great idea, but if your raised beds are tall, you should consider burying the panel or cutting the panel length shorter. Otherwise, the trellis may be too tall for you to harvest fruits without using a ladder.

2. Locate the Corners - Plot the four corners of your trellis, using a measuring tape if needed. The T-posts should be set in about 6 to 8 inches along each side of the trellis from where you want the corners. Pro-Tip: My trellis creates a walkway under it that is about 6 feet wide at the base. Placing the two sides closer together will make a taller, narrower trellis, and placing the sides further apart will create a shorter, wider trellis.

3. Set the T-Posts - Drive the four T-posts into the ground about 1 foot deep, according to the location described in step 2.

4. Place the Cattle Panel - Place one of the short sides of the panel on the ground against the inside of two T-posts. Then, bend the panel into a U-shape and place the other short side on the ground inside the other two T-posts. The panel should be held in place by the T-posts, creating tension against the posts on both sides.

5. Attach the Cattle Panel - Cut segments of metal wire and use them to attach the cattle panel to the T-posts to prevent the panel from moving or shifting. Loop the wire around a T-post and one wire of the panel, then twist the ends of the wire tightly to secure it. Repeat this multiple times on each T-post.

Growing Plants On a Trellis

Now that you've built your cattle panel trellis, it's time to grow your favorite plants! Check out these seed collections for some great ideas:

• Pole Beans

• Melons

• Cucumbers

• Tomatoes

• Gourds

• Pumpkins  (choose small pumpkins for growing on a trellis)

Read this blog post on vertical gardening to learn my best tips for growing on trellises so you can grow bigger!