Say Hello To My Little Friend!
The One Way Anchor Wire Vice.
A magical little piece of hardware that will simplify your trellis build and keep your support wires tight.
Fun Fact: We do NOT receive any sort of compensation for introducing handy little tool to you. We just think it’s helpful enough to warrant sharing. ❤️
LET US BE YOUR GUIDE!
If you have grown grapes, kiwi, espaliered fruit trees, caneberries, or any number of hearty climbing vines, you know very well that a sturdy trellis is a basic necessity.
Here in the HOEC Arboretum, we have many different styles of trellises, but one thing almost all of them have in common are: guide wires.
Guide wires are exactly what they sound like they would be. Lengths of wire that span from one side of a trellis to the other. Their job is to guide, support, and contain vines, cordons, and shoots as they grow.
A guidewire providing support for a grapevine.
The basic concept of a trellis with guide wires is simple enough. A well anchored post at one end, a well anchored post at the other end, with guide wires strung in different configurations in between. No matter how your trellis is set up, you will need to figure out a way to tighten the wires so they remain in place under the weight of the plant and the harvest.
Guide wires on each arm provide support and containment in this raspberry row.
Blackberry tied to a guidewire to prevent it from touching the ground and tip rooting.
LOOSEN UP OR HANG TIGHT?
So the concept of a trellis looks pretty simple, right?
Well in theory it is, but if you have ever attempted to build a trellis using guide wires, you have likely experienced what we consider one of the more challenging parts of the process:
Getting those pesky wires tight, and then keeping them that way.
This can be hard to do well and over time the wires often sag or pull out.
This educational arboretum has been around for over 40 years. In that time, we have used many different methods for attaching and tightening guide wires to trellis posts. Simply wrapping the wires, basic wire crimpers, permanent ratchet tighteners, wire rope clamps, and turnbuckle tightening systems. If it’s something someone somewhere has come up with to keep trellis wire tight, we probably have an example in the arboretum:
Never fear! We are fast approaching the part of this post where we introduce this magical piece of hardware we came here to tell you about. But first - a few examples of why we find it to be such a needed item:
This guide wire was installed with a turnbuckle. The line is sagging, but the turnbuckle can’t be tightened any further.
This guide wire was secured by wrapping. It has pulled almost all the way out of the post and no longer provides support.
This guide wire uses a ratcheting tightener. It works well when it does work, but they have a tendency to freeze up as they age.
** However, those methods are NOT what we are here to share with you today **
DRUMROLL PLEASE……
In an attempt to help make your next trellising attempt as painless as possible, we are pleased to finally introduce you to our favorite little piece of DIY trellising magic:
THE ONE WAY ANCHOR WIRE VICE
Some years back, we were introduced to this nifty piece of hardware by Vern Nelson, a well loved former Oregonian newspaper garden columnist. From that point on, we have used this super simple piece of hardware any time we replace, repair, or build a new trellis. The installation couldn’t be more simple:
Drill a hole through your post or support board.
Insert the hardware into the hole.
Secure with two screws.
Pull the wire through.
Tighten by pulling and then use a pair of pliers to grasp and use leverage against the pole to pull the wire tighter.