Repurpose A Dog Crate In The Garden For Climbing Plants

Not all impressive gardening projects begin their life with fancy tools and expensive trips to the store. In fact, some of the most clever DIYs start their life as a repurposing project. And repurposing an old dog crate in your garden may sound random at first, but it's actually a very clever, practical, and charming way to breathe new life into something that is sitting in your garage. It only takes a quick scrub and some zip ties for the crate's metal grids to turn into an affordable DIY trellis for climbing plants which works just as well growing plants in grow bags (as the weight of the soil will help hold the panels in place) as it does in a raised bed.

The project starts by taking the dog crate apart. Most collapsible cages come apart quickly since the sides, top, and bottom are usually just attached with small metal rings which can be clipped or gently pried apart to release the panels. Even if you have sturdier crate, it can usually be dismantled this way just so long as the panels aren't permanently welded together. Once separated, give the panels a good scrub to remove any rust or dirt, then after they have dried out, lay the panels flat and connect them with zip-ties so that they create one long screen. You can bend it into whatever shape fits your garden — whether that's a solid panel or a zigzag.

One of the best features of this project is that the crate-panel trellis is not just limited to grow bags or potted plants; they can fit into nearly any garden layout, which makes it useful long after its first season of growing. You could lean the panels along the inside edge of a raised bed, where pole beans, peas, or cucumbers can climb –- and this vertical height frees space below for herbs or any flowers that grow perfectly in a little afternoon shade. If your garden has a bit less space, you could try to fasten the panels to a fence and create a climbing grid that doubles as a privacy screen.

In addition to using it as a panel, you could also arrange it into an arch by connecting two pieces at the top, in a sort of upside down V formation. That way, quick and light climbers with thinner stems such as sweet peas or morning glories can grow over the metal frame and create a decorative tunnel that will make your garden look incredibly whimsical. All of this adaptability makes the project such a clever way to repurpose an old dog crate –- the costs stay low and it can be used from season to season, giving your growing plants structure without permanence.