Stakes

Nancy writes~ Last year I had something planted in my garden that needed staking. The stakes are still there, as I never took them out, although I removed all the dead material from last year. Is there any reason to remove the stakes, or can I just leave them there to reuse again this year?

A. Stakes are very useful. I just wish more people would use them. We have heavy rains and very windy days, to say nothing about a foul ball or flying frisbee which knock into our plants which we care for so diligently. But, do we protect them? Mostly no.

You can recycle stakes from last year's garden provided that they have not rotted or softened at the soil line or below. Untreated wood does not last long in moisture, so pull them out, inspect them, and discard the bad ones. Try to buy the green ones which are pretreated with a conditioner and preservative which is ecologically friendly and not harmful to chewing pets or kids!

It is best to knock the stakes into the soil now before the plants start getting grown. This way you will damage much less roots. If adding a new plant, put the stake in right when you plant. It may look silly with a little plant, but it will be there all ready to go once the plant needs support. Use treated string to secure as needed and always tie loosely, so that the stems will have room to expand. This is very important when using on vines, such as sweet pea or clematis, which grow up trellises.

Make sure that the stakes are firmly into the ground, as when it gets wet, the soil shifts and the stake may loosen. Pound down until you can tug on it and it stays in place securely, usually at least 6", and up to a foot.