Joanna Gaines Has A Creative Solution For Growing Hyacinth Beans

Joanna Gaines knows a thing or two about gardens, and even more so about garden hacks. Her plant expertise shines in most home projects, but especially in season 5, episode 12 of "Fixer Upper" (via HBO Max), when she set up a unique trellis for hyacinth bean vines (Lablab purpureus) to grow. Gaines' method is a vertical garden idea that is the perfect solution for both limited garden space and happy beans. Essentially, she built her own teepee trellis for the vines to sit nicely against and around the structure. Hyacinth beans, which are typically grown as annuals, grow especially fast, up to about 10 to 20 feet long in one growing season. Gaines' build is a reliable solution, as it's able to support these vines' length without dealing with too much overflow. 

If this approach seems intriguing, grow your own hyacinth beans by building a teepee right in your backyard. Gaines uses cedar for the trellis, but you can make use of other wood species that can resist most types of weather conditions, basically any hardwood. Build a simple trellis one using three wooden branches of a similar size. Make sure the ends of your stakes are pushed into the soil beneath, forming them into a triangle at the top, spaced about 18 inches apart from each other at the bottom (or wider if you need more stability for a windy area). Secure the very top with heavy duty garden twine. 

Joanna Gaines' teepee trellis is extraordinary, since its design rivals others of its kind. Instead of using thin stakes, Gaines opts for heavy wooden posts for added stability and longevity. However, if you're building a similar trellis, you might consider a typical teepee style with bamboo, since it may be easier to source. Whatever you use, this is an outdoor idea that will revamp your space and a Gaines-approved tip to add character to your yard. Trellises offer great features for the yard, like adding a clear focal point to the space as well as being a good support for those long-winding hyacinth bean vines. 

When planning a trellis, it is important to consider design, as this style can feel bulky and won't work against flat walls. With that in mind, building one yourself can lead you to all kinds of shapes and sizes for a good trellis.  A ladder-inspired trellis, for example, is tall and efficient enough for hyacinth vines to grow on. DIY it by taking two long, slender pieces of wooden for your sides, and nailing short wood pieces between them, spacing them out as far or as close as you want. plant seeds at the bottom of this structure, and they'll grow upwards naturally. If you're buying one, consider interesting shapes like this Birdcage Shape Garden Arch Trellis. It's made of metal and is tall enough for plants like hyacinth beans.