Peas and beans will need to be propped up with sticks or trained onto trellises. You might find, if you are growing cucumbers, that you will need to train them onto a trellis, especially if they are growing out of the range of the light.
Tomato plants don’t usually need a trellis, however if the plant seems to be drooping over, you might want to use a stake. We have used tomato cages in our indoor garden as well.
While you can purchase commercial staking kits, you can also use this as a design project for your students.
Designing Your Own Trellis
- Start by showing your students pictures of a variety of trellises and staking systems.
- Talk about what your plants might need.
- Have groups of students draw out a plan for building a trellis and listing the materials needed.
- As a class, choose the best design for your needs.
- Price out the materials or brainstorm ways to get what you need for free.
- Collect the materials and build the trellis.
Teaching From the Garden 