My Lazy Housewife beans have betrayed me. They aren’t a bush bean. They are a pole bean – and pole beans need poles to climb.

Or a weird trellis made of sticks and twine.

I had a definite plan for that trellis before one of my neighbors showed up and decided to show me how he would do it. The final product ended up rather different than my original idea. Stronger, too. I appreciated the help. Almost everyone enjoys agriculture and gardening here, so people often stop and chat or jump in and help when they see someone gardening.

I’ve always liked reclaiming materials to use as trellises. However, when I get my own place again, I’m going to spend some serious time making big, serious trellises.

Something like Marvelous Mark built. Now that is impressive.

I’m always scrimping on my trellises, making just enough to get by – yet there are many crops that love trellising which I’d grow if I had the trellis space. It’s just an extra step and I confess to having been too lazy thus far.

Just a quick review makes me think of the many productive plants I could install along trellises.

Perennial cucumber

Yams

Pole beans

Jicama

Passionfruit

Grapes

Malabar spinach

Plenty of food! But without trellises, they’re just a big mess. With a nice trellis, they look beautiful. Speaking of that, here’s a little front-yard bean and yam teepee Helen sent me to share:

I’m happy the Lazy Housewife beans ended up being pole beans. They’ll be more productive for longer. Bush beans seem to produce one big burst, then a little lesser burst, then die out. Pole beans often stay producing for a month or more if picked regularly. I’m looking forward to seeing how these beans do. Even if my trellis is not Pinterest-worthy, it should do the trick. After all, beans don’t care what a trellis looks like.

Unlike potatoes, they don’t have eyes.