Good supports are one of the highest-impact improvements you can make on an allotment. Tomatoes, peas and cucumbers all climb or sprawl naturally; when they’re supported properly, plants stay healthier, crops are cleaner, airflow improves, and harvesting becomes easier.

This guide explains how to build simple, durable trellis and supports using common allotment materials, tailored to tomatoes, peas and cucumbers, 

🌱 Why Proper Supports Matter

Well-built supports:

• prevent plants collapsing or snapping

• improve airflow (reducing disease)

• keep fruit off damp soil

• make watering and harvesting easier

• increase total yields

Poor supports often fail mid-season, when plants are heaviest — exactly when damage is hardest to fix.

🍅 Tomato Supports

Tomatoes need strong, vertical support — especially cordon varieties.

Best Tomato Support Types

1. Single Cane (Most Common)

Best for: Cordon tomatoes
Materials: Bamboo cane (1.8–2.4m), soft ties

How to build

1. Push cane at least 30–40cm into soil

2. Tie tomato loosely every 20–30cm

3. Remove side shoots regularly

Pros: Simple, cheap
Cons: Can fail in wind if shallow

2. String Trellis (Highly Effective)

Best for: Greenhouse or sheltered outdoor beds
Materials: Sturdy overhead bar, strong string

How to build

1. Fix a horizontal bar or wire above plants

2. Drop string down to base of each plant

3. Twist stem around string as it grows

Pros: Very strong, saves space
Cons: Needs solid overhead fixing

3. Tomato Wigwam / Frame

Best for: Bush tomatoes or windy sites
Materials: 3–5 canes tied at top

Pros: Stable
Cons: Uses more space

🌿 Pea Supports

Peas climb using tendrils, so they need mesh or fine supports.

Best Pea Support Types

1. Pea Netting (Easiest)

Best for: Most pea varieties
Materials: Pea netting, stakes or canes

How to build

1. Push stakes at each end of the row

2. Stretch netting tight between them

3. Anchor firmly at base

Pros: Fast, effective
Cons: Plastic netting wears over time

2. Twiggy Stick Supports (Traditional & Free)

Best for: Early or short peas
Materials: Branches, prunings

How to build

1. Push branches firmly along the row

2. Interlock slightly for stability

Pros: Free, wildlife-friendly
Cons: Less tidy, shorter lifespan

3. A-Frame Pea Support

Best for: Tall peas
Materials: Canes, netting

Pros: Very stable
Cons: More setup time

🥒 Cucumber Supports

Cucumbers benefit hugely from vertical growing, especially on allotments.

Best Cucumber Support Types

1. Vertical Trellis (Recommended)

Best for: Outdoor ridge or climbing varieties
Materials: Canes or posts, garden netting or wire

How to build

1. Create a rigid frame (A-frame or flat panel)

2. Attach netting tightly

3. Train plants upward and tie loosely

Pros: Cleaner fruit, better airflow
Cons: Needs firm anchoring

2. String Support

Best for: Greenhouse cucumbers
Materials: Overhead bar, strong string

How to build

1. Fix overhead support

2. Tie string at base and top

3. Guide main stem upward

3. Fence or Arch Growing

Best for: Small plots
Materials: Existing fence or arch

Pros: Space-saving
Cons: Requires pruning control

🛠️ Materials That Work Best

• Bamboo canes (cheap, flexible)

• Treated wooden posts (long-term)

• Galvanised wire (very strong)

• Jute twine or soft garden ties

⚠️ Avoid thin string or weak plastic ties — they snap under weight.

🌬️ Anchoring & Wind Protection (Often Overlooked)

• Push supports deep into soil

• Cross-brace tall frames

• Check ties weekly in summer

• Reinforce before fruit loads peak

Most failures happen after plants are already heavy.

🌾 Improving Yields with Better Supports

Good supports:

• expose more leaves to light

• reduce disease pressure

• make pruning easier

• prevent fruit rot

Vertical growth = more productive plants per square metre.

⚡ Quick Support-Building Tips

• Install supports before plants get big

• Stronger is always better than taller

• Use soft ties to avoid stem damage

• Check and retighten regularly

• Reuse frames year after year