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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2007 12:34:24 GMT
 What do you all use as plant supports? I'm after something quite flexible to go around my pinks so they don't keep flopping over and getting hidden, I did think of old hanging baskets but they are way to big, any ideas?
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Post by Barbara on Jul 28, 2007 14:10:30 GMT
what about some small twigs |
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Post by Weeterrier on Jul 28, 2007 14:15:50 GMT
Hi Val, I use link-stakes, which are good because they can be put together at any stage of the plant's growth. Sadly, with a big clump, they don't keep the centre upright, it flops to the side. The best system I saw, in a stately home's herbaceous border, was the use of very fine plastic mesh, with holes about 3-4 inches square. It was stretched over the whole bed at the start of the season, high at the back, low at the front, and all the plants grew through it. Not so good in a shaped bed though. Pinks would be a plant where any support would be pretty visible. Mine have their faces on the path with all this rain.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2007 14:57:01 GMT
Hi Val ... whenever I prune woody plants like the Buddleia, I keep any long twigs with 'forks' in them ... work a treat ... cheers ...
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 28, 2007 15:00:04 GMT
I always fall foul of not staking or supporting early enough and most times I leave too late  I'm tight and refuse to pay the price of some of the ones you can buy in the GC Tight old buggar me, I save branches off shrubs or trees where they are anything from 2ft and longer. That's if you have shrubs and trees in your garden of cause. On longer ones you can leave a couple of inches of the side branches on too. I trim them up and stand them in a corner in the shed to dry, they can be used for several years. Like pea sticks I suppose. Another thing I've tried and it works quite well is strongish wire. For example, if you get a 3ft length hold it vertically and bend it down like a leg at 1ft and another from the other side so you end up with a n shape. Then shape the middle bit into a half circle shape to go round the stems, poke the legs into the soil at least half way. Hope that makes sense. Obviously you need 2 to go round a plant fully and you make them the size you want to suit the plants. Works good for small and medium plants. Metal coat hangers are ok for smaller plants, would probably be suitable for your Pinks Val |
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Post by MamIDdau on Jul 28, 2007 15:10:52 GMT
There are some plant supports you can buy that are dark green and I can't describe what they look like. Well, kinda 2 sticks with a half sideways loop at the top. I dunno. B&Q sell them anyway.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2007 15:19:17 GMT
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one too tight to buy 'proper' plant supports ;D
I use prunings from my trees and canes from my bamboo plant.
I think small twiggy bit's should help support you pinks Val, but I'm also keen on Chuckles wire contraption.......I can feel a Blue Peter moment coming on ;D
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Post by Weeterrier on Jul 28, 2007 15:53:23 GMT
I agree about cost of stakes. I bought mine over 20 years ago when I had a husband with a good job. Now, I treat them like the crown jewels. Let's face it, they'd be easy to make with wire. I have three big Buddleias, so I'll start to keep the bits. Any opportunity to recycle  I think most of us leave it till it is really too late? I feel as if the plants lull me into a false sense of security, then shoot up while I'm feeling smug. ;D |
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 28, 2007 16:10:53 GMT
Ooooh I'm really tight, I sooooooo begrudge the ridiculous prices they charge for such simple things. Forgot to say that the fine mesh idea sounds a brill idea. It made me wonder about the Bean mesh I got from Wilco's, ok it's very bright green but could probably be used in small sections around 4 canes for the tall stuff at the back of the borders, stretched and tied over the canes. Come on GH another BP moment coming on What ever is used it doesn't look particularly nice untill it's got plants groweing over and around it. |
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Post by jean on Jul 28, 2007 16:27:07 GMT
I'm too tight to buy plant supports too, canes and garden wire do me fine. How about a circle of wire with bean netting stretched over ? canes to support it and it could be moved up the canes as the plants grow - reckon it will work well (wish I'd thought of it earlier in the year ) |
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Post by Barbara on Jul 28, 2007 17:10:47 GMT
what the hell is bean netting, i'm missing summat here i think. ;D
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Post by Weeterrier on Jul 28, 2007 17:54:17 GMT
what the hell is bean netting, i'm missing summat here i think. ;D Hi Barbara, I think that is what the mesh I described is called. but I've never grown veg so I am not good at the lingo.  |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jul 28, 2007 18:08:42 GMT
what the hell is bean netting, i'm missing summat here i think. ;D Hi Barbara, I think that is what the mesh I described is called. but I've never grown veg so I am not good at the lingo. Bean netting is what's sold (round here anyway) off a roll in garden centres for next to nothing and when stretched open ends up (like wot was said earlier) as a net of bright green plastic with a very open mesh of about 4 inches square. I don't use it for beans, I use it for sweetpeas, stretched over canes against a wall. It's tough but fine, so it just disappears... And I'm so tight, I don't buy those plastic knob things to put over cane-ends to stop you digging one in the eye (very good though they are) - I use old plastic cartridge cases. Anyone associated with clay-pigeon shooting could get you hundreds for nothing. OM. |
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Post by jean on Jul 28, 2007 21:33:42 GMT
Great idea OM My pa grows flowers for the cut flower market and uses long rolls of 4" square wires to support the plants in the GH's, they are elevated as the plants grow and are also used to work out the planting distances too (brilliant invention). Bean netting is strong and cheap and will do the job just as well, or you could make your own wire frame work - its got to be cheaper than whats on offer in GC's. |
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 28, 2007 21:44:38 GMT
This is the netting I mean from Wilco's which sounds the same as OM described. www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/6876540 here it is on my bean bed.   Can't believe I didn't think of empty cartridge cases OM. OH goes clay-pigeon shooting every Sunday. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2007 9:47:05 GMT
Thanks for all the replies, I'm too tight to buy plant supports too, I've tried most things, It was netting I sort of had in mind, What I'd like is something like a hairnet but with bigger holes thats stretchy, that will fit over a plant and hold it firm but without cutting in, I can see it in my minds eye but haven't a clue how to make it appear. I guess I could try making cats cradles from elastic but that would be too tight and not big enough, I can't crochet so thats out. I think I'll try browsing craft sites and see whats on offer.Now all you youngsters are going to ask what a hairnet is? ;D
I've moulded a bit of chicken wire around a flower pot and stuck it over the plant, it can't be seen and seems to be okay, I'm a bit concerned that the Jacks might hurt themselves on it, I don't think plastic netting would mould in the same way. What do you think?
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Post by Weeterrier on Jul 29, 2007 10:43:34 GMT
I have a feeling there is going to be an increase in sales of bean netting. I thing I may give it a go, after years of wondering about it. Though, can you imagine the work involved in picking all the dead bits out in winter?  |
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 29, 2007 13:02:45 GMT
Seems everyone has a Blue Peters head ;D Good er init ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2007 6:59:10 GMT
I can see what my job will be over the winter, sorry to mention that word but as we've had no summer it feels very close, it looks beautiful today though.I'll be making wire shapes for plants, good job plant pots come in all sizes they are good for moulding and the wire sits very nicely over the plant.
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What do you all use as plant supports? I'm after something quite flexible to go around my pinks so they don't keep flopping over and getting hidden, I did think of old hanging baskets but they are way to big, any ideas?
I'm tight and refuse to pay the price of some of the ones you can buy in the GC 
Can't believe I didn't think of empty cartridge cases OM. OH goes clay-pigeon shooting every Sunday.