All Tall Plants Need Support.

Supporting plants involves the supply of a post, stake or framework to which weak stems can be attached.

A tall plant can be rocked by strong winds if its roots are not able to anchor it firmly in the ground. A freshly-planted specimen does not have this anchorage, so it could be dislodged or blown over. Staking is the answer, it is the job that you should do at planting time and never after the damage is done. Inspect your ties on a tree on a regular basis and adjust them as the stem thickens. Some herbaceous plants, such as Dahlias are staked at planting time. Stout bamboo canes are usually used. Tie the stem to the support as growth proceeds using soft twine or raffia. The single pole method is suitable for plants with spire-like heads, like Delphiniums. In these cases the stake has to be tall enough to support the flower head.

In most cases, however, tying to just one stake should be avoided. With bushy plants an unsightly 'drumstick' effect is produced and is the sign of a poor gardener, the all-too-familiar sight of a tight group of stems attached to a cane and a splayed out spray of flowers above.

Regrettably, weak-stemmed plants, tall varieties on exposed sites, large-headed flowers and climbers all will want support and stakes. Wires, canes and so on are not things of beauty in themselves. The answer is to choose the type of support with care and attempt to put it in a position when the plant is quite small so that the stems can grow through to cover it.

For a lot of plants all you will require is brushwood or pea sticks pushed into the soil all around the young plant when the stems are about 1 ft high. For more robust and bushy herbaceous plants insert 3 or 4 canes around the stems and enclose the shoots with twine tied around the canes at roughly 9 inch intervals. You can buy circular wire frames that are inserted into the soil and produe the same effect. In all cases follow the golden rule - never leave staking until your plant has collapsed.

Really the only plants which regularly require staking in the vegetable garden are Beans and Peas. Peas can be supported with twigs when they are young but may require plastic netting when fully grown. Runner Beans are best grown against solid canes, either arranged as a wigwam or as a double row fixed at the top by a horizontal holding bar.

Each time a tree outgrows its stake it will still will require support. This could be provided by fixing a collar to the middle of the trunk and securing it to the ground by means of 3 strong wires. Some shrubs with limp spreading stems may require some form of support after a few years. Follow the principles described above for bushy herbaceous plants. Use 3 or 4 stakes with a band joining the top of each stake, never rely on a single pole and twine.