| Staking plants for support is important for | | | | criss-cross through the center with your twine. |
| vegetables and flowers. Large flowers often | | | | For a nearly invisible look, you can use twigs and |
| become top-heavy after a rain, so staking is a | | | | fishing line. |
| simple technique to keep them from sagging. Tall | | | | Bamboo stakes are quite common and can be |
| and delicately stemmed plants often require some | | | | purchased as thin as a pencil or up to a half inch |
| support - especially during foul weather. Staking | | | | or more in thickness, depending on how much |
| vegetable plants is an effective way to ensure a | | | | support the plant requires. Round or square wire |
| bountiful harvest. | | | | cages are sometimes used offering structural |
| Stakes are often forsaken at the expense of the | | | | support for tomato plants. With cage-like |
| flowers. Traditionally thought to be intrusive and | | | | structures, plants don't need to be tied, because |
| unattractive, stakes, if used properly, are just the | | | | the plant will grow through the wire and find its |
| opposite. A carefully staked plant will show no | | | | own support. These must be installed while the |
| visible support because the healthy and attractive | | | | plant is quite young to be most effective. Wire |
| foliage will hide the stakes or various strings and | | | | rings may also be purchased at local garden |
| wires. | | | | centers for similar purpose. |
| The best way to stake is to begin early in the | | | | Other plants like climbers and vines may thrive as |
| growing season so you can easily train the plant | | | | ground cover, but will grow to create a wonderful |
| and its foliage to cover whatever support system | | | | dimension of height in your garden. Usually, any |
| you have chosen. Staking mature plants whose | | | | type of support structure will do for these |
| foliage is flopping is a far more difficult task, and | | | | purposes, as long as the plant can grow through |
| the leaves and flowers are not as appealing as if | | | | and around it. Trellises are the most commonly |
| the plant were trained from the start. Even so, | | | | used support structures, but you can be creative |
| the health of a plant or flower is often necessary | | | | and use a flea market find - even a section of |
| with late-maturity staking methods. | | | | lattice fencing or stretch of chicken wire |
| A stake should be planted about six inches | | | | Staking plants for support is important for |
| shorter than your plant is likely to be at maturity. | | | | vegetables and flowers. Traditionally thought to be |
| The stalk of the flower or vegetable should be | | | | intrusive and unattractive, stakes, if used properly, |
| firmly tied to the stake, but with enough slack to | | | | are just the opposite round or square wire cages |
| allow some movement for winds and growth. | | | | are sometimes used for offering structural |
| Twine makes for an adequate tie, but strips of | | | | support for tomato plants. Trellises are also a |
| fabric may also be used, as can common, green | | | | commonly used support structures. Even a |
| garden plastic, cut into ½ inch wide strips | | | | section of lattice fencing or stretch of chicken |
| that stretch. | | | | wire can be used to support plants. Twine is a |
| If your garden has flowers needing support, a | | | | commonly used item to secure plants to a |
| stake system can be situated to support the | | | | support. |
| clump rather than each individual stalk or plant. | | | | Copyright © Larry Gildea, All Rights |
| Place stakes around the clump, then circle and | | | | Reserved. |