If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to direct sow cool weather things like onions, beets, peas, lettuces, and spinach.  Above is a picture of the part of a row of Arugula coming up in my outside garden right now.  If you wait much longer, then you won’t get a very long run on these cool weather crops.  Assuming you live in the same planting zone – zone 6.  Most of the cool weather crops can be sown when the soil is workable in the early spring.  I have most of my stuff in the ground – some is already coming up!  But I have a new space I want to trellis and plant some oriental snap peas for my stir-frys and what not.  This is the week.  Yes, even though we have still been having light snowfall.  These cool weather things can take a bit of a freeze and be okay.  If you are very concerned you can cover your plantings with a light row cover to protect them.

So, now, my new toy.  Home Depot for under $4.00.  This is the 5×8 ft. model.  There is also a 5×15 ft. model for just under $5.00.  Although I have pinned many different types of trellises, the one I have used for years, that I love is a cheap, almost no work model.  Just strings.  I attach it to the ground using those little ground cover “staple” things.  Then I use heavy duty staples and attach it to the fence behind it.  I have found that doing it this way doesn’t block the sprinkler system and since I have yet to install drip irrigation to my garden, I am constantly working around the sprinklers and their spray patterns.  This is what it looks like attached to the fence.

  It kind of looks like a big spider’s web.  Super easy to install and for things like peas and beans, it is just perfect.  I leave it up at the end of the season, and have used the same one for several years in a row without it falling apart.  Takes minutes to install and is super cheap.  I have gotten mine at Home Depot or gardening catalogs in the past.