Staking plants is more art than science

There is only one reason I would ever wish for a big stand of bamboo to be growing in my yard. Although it would undoubtedly be intent-on-garden-domination level invasive, I would have a never-ending supply of staking material.

It’s something I only think of around this time of year when I am reminded of all the plants I knew I would have to stake when I planted them. As the plants grow, out comes my collection of stakes that spends the off season corralled in a variety of gravity-defying ways. 

My favorite stake is natural bamboo, about a half-inch or more thick at the fat end. I find them innocuous enough to blend in if not disappear. I use them for individual plants but also for rows of plants that need staking, including tomatoes and dahlias. I put a stake between each plant and at both ends of the row, then weave twine from stake to stake, sandwiching the plants in between.

Tomato cages, which are generally terrible for staking tomatoes, are great for plants that need to be held together rather than held up like a soldier. The key is to put them in early in the season so foliage grows naturally through the hoops, hiding the structure and keeping the plant looking natural. Unfortunately, trying to accomplish this look after the plant is already flopping is frustrating and requires an excessive amount of futzing to make it look right.

Gardeners are generally very creative and economical, and they are continually coming up with interesting ways to keep plants upright. 

Cattle panels seem to be called into service frequently, used horizontally and supported 18 to 24 inches above the ground with, well, more stakes, or pinned in a low arch shape, both of which allow full plants with lots of stems to grow through but remain supported.

Rebar is often called into service for beastly plants that require serious support, and for large rows or areas that need staking, T-posts often used for snow fencing can provide fail-safe support.

But don’t put it past gardeners to find staking materials everywhere they look. Inch-thick branches pruned from shrubs work well, so long as you can drive them far enough into the ground to stand up. Spindly branches work for light-duty work like peas or other lightweight vining plants. England’s most famous gardener, Monty Don, makes half-moon shaped metal supports that he tucks in and around flopping plants threatening to suffocate a neighbor or block access to a path. I have tried similar supports but seem to lack the Brit’s touch, as they never seem to look as good in my garden.

There’s an art to good staking. Ideally it’s invisible, effective and easy, but any gardener will tell you that’s a goal that is often aspired to and rarely achieved. Perhaps we should lower the bar and aim for staking earlier than necessary in a generally upright direction. I just know there’s a creative way to achieve that hiding in someone’s garden.