Trellising

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A horticultural technique where a framework is utilized to support the growth of climbing plants in order to optimize space and yield
2. An agricultural method that provides a structured support system for plants, encouraging vertical growth and improving aeration
3. The practice of using a structured framework to guide and support climbing plants for better growth

Etymology: The most surprising thing about this word is that its ancestor meant a shady arbour, not a framework for plants at all. The noun "trellis" came into Middle English as "trelis", borrowed from Anglo-Norman "treslis", which descends from Old French "treille", meaning an arbour or bower. That French word traces back to Latin "trichila", a summer house, typically one screened by climbing vines. The structure was named for the leafy shelter it supported, not the other way round. "Trellising" is the present participle and gerund of the verb built on that noun, so it describes the act of erecting such a lattice and training plants along it. The modern sense of an open lattice of crossed strips came later, as the frame gradually became more important than the vines and the shade they gave.

Synonyms: supporting, training