This sounds difficult but it isn't. First, I found one that was discarded and the frame was made out of metal conduit that runs elec wires in houses and connects to those boxes (junction or light). It is 1/2" diameter and to bend it you need a tube bender made for bending it. or you can buy the 90degree end pieces and tighten the screw to hold it together. Or you can buy 1/2" pvc pipe and connections. Either way you make a frame the size you want and stand it up against something. Then you get wire coat hangers and attach a row of them to the top of the frame. Where each hanger touches the other you take a piece of heavy wire (not quite the thickness of the coat hanger) and tie each coat hanger end to the adjoining one and then each end to the frame. Now use the bottom of the row of coat hangers to attach the hooks of the next row of hangers and secure them together and to the sides of the frame. The one I found the maker had opened each coat hanger and slipped one end into the near coat hanger and then retwisted the top but I think this is too much work. What I have is a frame about 5' wide and 6' tall with coat hangers in the middle for climbing plants to climb up on. I need to repaint it this year and build my second one out of pvc pipe cause I have lots of that and end pieces also. I will probably use tees and make a couple of horizontal cross pieces but will use coat hangers in the field. Plastic ones might work also. Strong tape should attach them together. Then spray paint the whole thing with fusion paint. If I can I will post a pic later. Camera died I think. Glad I took out the warranty, if I can find it. BTW: I heard that if you put the squash, melon or whatnot in a nylon stocking and secure it to the trellis, it will grow in there and there won't be a hanging weight problem.

Hi Rachel, That is an EXCELLENT insight, one which we might all benefit from keeping in mind. To Tiff & the other newbies&/or Lurkers All this info. really IS NOT TO STRESS YOU,but to help grow better plants. Pls. remember many of us have learned these things over many, many years. I myself have been on here since March 2001 & w/ my local C&S club for over 15 yrs. Some folks here are far senior in participation & plant growing than myself. Al (Tapla), Rhizo, Denise in Omaha, these are folks who have been growing for DECADES. So yes, we remind you all, pls. to take deep breaths, read as much as you can in different sittings & bit by bit it gets in one's head. Bought in 1993 I think (pre-Internet), I can't tell you how many times I read & re-read parts of a book I love on plants called Readers' Digest Success w/ Houseplants (dorky, I know, but very good & comprehensive). Largely because it covered basics: watering, light, mixes, fertilizer, pests & then beyond that into particular plants. But time & again, I went back to check the basics & eventually I got most of it. Remembering to relax is important, this is after all a hobby. The last fellow who lived w/ me taught me that I had a set routine when I came home from work. He told me that I'd get home, change clothes, make a cup of coffee & then w/ my coffee, walk around the apartment, checking on all the plants & their respective needs. This was apparently my winding down ritual (I'd worked rather high stress jobs at law firms), which relaxed me & made me more open to interacting further. Again, it's just a hobby & also good, plants (tho' I love them dearly) are replaceable!!!

...when one of your shower doors explodes! No joke, last night a minute after Cathy stepped out of the shower the door exploded. She has quite a few abrasions and one significant laceration on her left shin that's going to leave quite a horse-shoe shaped scar. I'm sure glad it didn't happen while she was still in the shower or we'd probably be at the hospital today. Fearing the other door might do the same thing we had a handyman come over and remove it this morning. Rather than taking it to the dump he wrapped it in a blanket and took a sledge hammer to it so we could also put it in the garbage can. Danged if he didn't have to give it 6-7 good wacks before it would break. Go figure!

I thought our 2300 sq ft. house was just perfect for the 3 of us... - then we decided I traveled too much for work and opened up my own business - in the house - then things grew and I added an employee - in the house - Then hubby took early out from the University and expanded his tax & consulting practice - in the house - then his practice grew and he added a part ime employee - in the house - then things really got successful and some parts of the year he can have as many as 3 employees - in the house!!! Net effect is that our 4 bedroom house some days feels like a 1 bedroom office - we no longer have a home. We are building on 20 acres in the country - house with a good sized office wing. I've redesigned about a dozen times and can't seem to get it down below 5000 sq ft. So, for us (and the assorted clients, employees and visiting relatives) I guess the perfect size is 5000 sq ft.