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.
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