Reddit mentions: The best plant support garden stakes

This spring I started a garden on my deck in Philadelphia. This was really the first time I gardened anything seriously and I’ve enjoyed myself immensely. Skip to the bottom for the album of it all.

I primarily started my plants from seeds without researching how they grow:

• Sugar Baby Watermelon
  
  
• Burpless Cucumbers
  
  
• Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
  
  
• Campari Tomatoes
  
  
• Spaghetti Squash (purchased plant)
  
  
• Green Bell Peppers (purchased plant)
  
  I quickly realized that I needed to be creative about how to manage these plants as a lot of them grow out instead of staying compact. Once the plants outgrew their medium sized pots, I needed a different solution. The major unlock for me was finding CaliKim's container gardening videos on YouTube that recommended planter bags. She also has a great method of making cage trellises that work perfectly in the bags she recommended.
  
  
• Container Gardening Video (there are more!)
  
  
• DIY Cage Trellis Video - I followed this one almost exactly
  
  
• Welded Wire fencing for the cages
  
  
• VIVOSUN 20-gallon planter bags were a major unlock to getting this system to work. The mobility is awesome. The red one with the spaghetti squash is a different brand (Root Pouch?) and is only 15-gallons. I strongly recommend getting 20-gallons for vegetables as they like deep routes for the most part. My squash is doing fine, but it’s definitely been slower than the bigger bags
  
  
• Half-Pallets I got for free from work to help get my plants off the ground and avoid rotting and promote drainage
  
  With this starting point I was able to get these plants into a compact space and still be able to thrive. Because I’ve got everything on top of each other there is some inter-mingling but for the most part things stay in their cages.
  
  My deck faces south and with the egregious Philadelphia summer I sometimes have to water twice a day to keep everything happy. I have done a lot of pruning to keep the plants reigned in and not way overgrow their plot.
  
  As the project progressed I realized I needed bamboo stakes to stabilize the cages and my non caged plants, and a few other random items listed below:
  
  
• Bamboo stakes for stability
  
  
• Velcro ties to guide plants where needed
  
  
• Shears for pruning
  
  
• Garden Netting used to make watermelon hammocks
  
  The watermelon needed hammocks to fend off gravity in this system, pole around YouTube for different ways people have done this
  
  In my research I got disheartened several times because many said growing watermelon or cucumber or squash in a compact space is extremely challenging and arguably not worth it. At that point I had already started the plants and I decided to give it a try anyway. To my delight things have turned out very well, and I wanted to share with any other urban gardeners who think they don’t have enough space for veggies.
  
  Next year I would grow more cucumbers and cage them instead of stake them (or maybe both). For the winter my plan is to leave the bags and soil outside and see how they hold up. It seems like they are able to handle snow / excess moisture without too much issue.
  
  https://imgur.com/gallery/jCqiEQH

Gorruck 34L GR2 Coyote Tan - a good bag, heavy, uncomfortable, probably give it to my grandchildren in like 50 years

Flip Flops - generic things

Bigblue 28W solar charger - very good, can charge my battery up during the day if i leave it in the sun which I've never really done honestly

Jakemy hardware tools - seamed useful? i've never needed this

Army glove shells - i thought i used these a lot and were indistructable but now that i think of it, i don't use them that often and are probably pretty cheaply made.

Sharpie, pen, all weather notebook - probably should switch over to a fisher space pen...

Straws - these are probably already broken.

Whistle - really really really loud

Fire-striker, matches, lighter - i'm not sure i have enough ways to start a fire

Fresnel lens - ok, now i have enough

LED flashlight - i used to go running in the middle of the night with this flashlight, its tiny

LED flashlight - this isn't the one i have but looks kinda similar? i don't remember where i got mine

Earbuds - generic cheap earbuds

Leatherman Surge - given to me by my wife for passing the bar. thanks wife!

First Aide kit - i put mine together from stuff i've stolen from friends houses whenever i go over and use the bathroom

playing cards - these look very similar to the ones i have, they are plastic so they won't get rained on

glasses/ sunglasses - i have really bad vision

personal hygiene kit - aahhhh dry shaving

Sawyer Mini / syringe, collapsible canteen (dirty), heavy duty straw - i've never used this

collapsible canteen (clean) - i've never used this either

sewing kit - i've used this a lot

ID tags - i guess if i get blown up they'll know my blood type?

garbage bag - for when my pockets are full

elastic bands - i use these when packing to keep rolled socks and things from falling apart

Salt - i have nooooo idea why i have this

cooking grate - i'm not going to hold meat over a fire with a stick like some sort of caveman

heavy duty ziplock bag - in case my mapcase breaks and other reasons

rip-patch - leftover from when i needed a pack because i bought a crummy cheap inflatable sleeping pad.

Army Fleece Beanie - i always keep this at the top of my pack

4 Bungie Cords - not the one i use but similar. to make a field-expedient shelter

Trowel - for disposal of biological wastes

Lensatic compass - because GPS should only be a backup

Pocketboy 130 folding saw - i have a bigger one for yardwork, this small one is really great

Tent stakes - for tent staking

Ravpower 26800 Battery - use this all the time can fast chage my stuff

Battery Battery holder, cables, wall charger - all fits togehter like glove!

Army Poncho - wear it, make a tent out of it etc

Microfiber towel - not the one i use but similar. i mainly use this for when the kids accidentally fall in a lake like they tend to do for some reason

Down Jacket - cheap chinese knockoff... i feel bad for not buying american

Wet weather top - not sure this is worth the space/weight

Wet Weather bottom - not sure if this is worth the weight/space

Silkweights - PJs! and warmth

Jungle Blanket - this is a lot better than the army's woobie. lighter and warmer

Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet - again, gift from wife. she wanted me to chop things and be more manly, generally. now i come home with parts of wildlife for her to cook

Map of New England - or, how i stopped worrying and love dismounted land navigation

PT belt - keeps me safe in all situations

Compression straps - i don't like lashing things to the outside but i guess i can if i wanted to

Fork and Spoon - stole these from the kitchen. i'll probably be replacing this soon with something titanium.

​

EDIT: i just priced it out: $1,585.08 total

The downside to lags if travelling internationally is the need for an impact driver, which is difficult to transport and expensive to pick up here. Considering they only have a 2 person tent, I'm going to venture a guess and say they can't ship much equipment.

Pounding four small pieces of rebar is all of two minutes of work with a hammer. Really not so big of a deal that it needs to be completely avoided. It'd be different if they were building a large structure with dozens of stakes to pound, but it's a tiny tent with 4 stakes. No need to scare the newbies away!

OP - for a small tent, pretty much take your pick. I like these personally, since they have a big loop on them that makes it easy to attach tarps or whatever else you need to attach (like something to tie your chair or garbage bag to). The loop also makes them easy to remove - If you pour a little water in the hole, you can jiggle the first one out using pretty much anything (the hammer handle, thread your bike lock through the loop, anything), the rest can be easily pulled out using the first one through the loop for leverage.

For a small tent, you could also use large nails, lags are an option if you have access to a drill but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy one, playa staples, regular rebar (look in a construction supply store - somewhere you'd buy lumber), or even military stakes will do. You definitely need more than the tiny stakes that come with your tent, but there's no need to overthink it :)

Thanks, that sounds like a good approach.

Do you think this 18" stake would be good enough?

Or do you have a specific 2 foot long product in mind? The 2 foot long ones I've found so far look like they would rust easily (and don't look like much of a stake...).

Winds at Burning Man can exceed 60mph and will pick up anything that isn't secured properly. At BM everyone uses 2-3 foot rebar to secure their tents from blowing away in the strong winds (or the new hotness, 18" lag bolts).

Sounds like the organizers think the winds at the location are strong enough to warrant using rebar.

If you've never used rebar before, you need a small sledgehammer to drive them into the ground, vice grips to pull them out, tennis balls to cap the ends to people don't slash their legs open when stumbling over them in the night. Also if you get rebar with a loop at the end or J hook rebar they are much easier to pull out since you can use another piece of rebar as leverage when pulling it out.

Thank you! To your first question: the vines that were damaged had a lot of nodes, which made propagating very easy. I basically cut the stems (internodes) below the nodes, dipped the ends in rooting hormone, and set them in a clear glass cup with water. Once they root, I'm shipping them out to my friends!

To your second question: Get a trellis instead of a moss pole!

https://www.houseplantjournal.com/home/monstera-trellis

I purchased this off of Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SHFWXQ7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and I use green rubber ties to tame the beast into a form that I like.

https://imgur.com/wbiRcTR

Bamboo, twine, and a fabric trellis. I also bought these cool rubber connectors that make configuring the bamboo easy.

Check this out at Amazon.com
Easy Plant Support Stretch 6-HoleConncters, 8-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007S18LYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_SgN.ybEHCGAQ0

I wish my eye was that great! Thanks to you providing the name of the tent, I was able to look it up.

Okay, to set it up in high winds, try imagining it in high winds. Let's also pretend that the pin and ring system will hold securely in the end of the pole.

Pull out the end of your tent you want facing into the wind out and stake it down. Unroll the rest of your tent. Slide all your tent poles through and secure the far end. Finish pushing the tent poles through to create the arch, but leave the arches on the ground. When the tent poles are all in, pull out the other end of the tent to pop up the tent, and stake it down. Now put in the rest of the stakes and guylines.

Doing it this way kind of works with the wind instead of against it.

Bigger stakes are a good idea. Stakes pulling out is a big reason why big tents fail. Using the guy lines will also help the tent keep its shape in the wind and prevent the poles from bending to failure. I love that you can go crazy with stakes when you're car camping, so you could use these bonkers stakes if you wanted to...and there are even more extreme stakes available. That said, I usually use these stakes and 3d print new heads when the originals break.

I pulled my drips out every week to change the res, since I had my plants on a tray that was over the res and a bucket that it drained off into.
I got something like this from the hydro store and put it on top of the coco, ran a couple drip lines to each tray and used stakes at the edge of the pot to hold the drip lines in place.

The guy at the hydro store that walked me through it, says he waters up to 6 times a day in late flower.
You have to up the water quantity a bit as well, to prevent salt buildup. I was aiming for 30% runoff, but I feel like my estimation of runoff was little better than a guess lol.

I kind of thought the whole thing was a pita though, and gave the plants to my cousin who transplanted them to soil.
I like DWC.

No joke there... I got these ones to use at Electric Forest and stake down our canopies with ratchet straps and I'm way pleased with them! Also love that you called them lollipop sticks.... BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

You can probably lower the HPS a bit, and the CFLs can be as close as you can get them without touching leaves. Looks great aside from the stretching though! You can keep them up by tying to a bamboo stake like one of these that you might be able to find at like Home Depot or Lowes or whatever or to a clean long thin stick, but you might actually want to tie/bend them away from the center instead of straight up so you can keep the light closer

If its a small-ish pump, it will likely have a 1/2" barb fitting to connect Poly or PVC hose to it. Use PVC hose for small setups as its more flexible and easier to work with.


https://www.amazon.com/Koram-Irrigation-Tubing-Distribution-Diameter/dp/B01LSC84ME/


you can buy it in small lengths at hardware and garden stores if you just need less than 100ft, but its much cheaper by the roll if you will ever use it.


If you are only watering a few plants, just run the hose from the pump, and out next to your plants (within a few feet).


Then you poke driplines into the hose near each plant (I like the brown stuff from home depot, it seems to seat better: http://www.homedepot.com/p/DIG-1-4-in-x-100-ft-Vinyl-Micro-Drip-Tubing-B38100/100212036).


This is a pain until you get the hang of it - First cut a length of the dripline to get to your plant, then cut one end off at a sharp angle (at least 45deg) then you need something to poke a small hole in the PVC hose, I use a nail punch that has been sharpened to make puncturing the tubing easier. You poke a hole in the tubing at an angle toward the pump, then quickly (and forcefully) push the angled dripline end into the hole in the hose. it will seat the first time you run water through it.


put a drip stake at the end of each dripline like this-
https://www.amazon.com/Grodan-Dripper-Stake-Degree-Bag/dp/B008UFC0B4


repeat at each plant.



put a hose clamp on the hose where it attaches to the pump, and crimp the other end so water/nutrients dont just go rushing out the end. you can just fold the hose over a couple times and zip tie it, or get a 1/2" plug and a hose clamp.

Thanks for your help so far. I have two of these babies in there, are they not the right ones? SuperMoss (22050) Moss Stakes Preserved, Fresh Green, 18" (6 pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HLTUOK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Of7HDbXRCCEKY

Probably, but I ordered from Amazon.

I got 4 foot stakes, and now wish I had gotten 5 or 6 feet long.

Stakes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051GUQO8/ref=twister_B011BDKNR4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Clips: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M4QHL5Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I wish I would have known this sooner about mine, so I'll pass on what I wish I did before I re-potted. I would move it into a bigger pot but I would add a moss pole https://www.amazon.com/SuperMoss-22225-Moss-Plant-Stake/dp/B004FWLUVM. They like to climb and if you train it early, it will climb the moss pole by itself. You can purchase one online or make your own with chicken wire and long fiber spagnum moss.

Don't tie it up with twine or string. Try to find something like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005CJ43D4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ZQ7SCb9CH

OR

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L4FWW1F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lS7SCbBB8A7A8

Tbh, if anything breaks in the process, don't worry too much. This plant grows like a weed!

You can get one of those metal/plastic cage trellis,

Plastic Support :
https://www.amazon.com/Support-Plastic-Climbing-Conical-Supporter/dp/B0739LPSQ2/ref=sr_1_23?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1501195143&sr=1-23&keywords=plant+trellis

Bamboo Kit :
https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Color-Bamboo-Trellis-inches/dp/B014K2TMKC/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1501195143&sr=1-4&keywords=plant+trellis

Bamboo Sticks :
https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-HGBB4-Natural-Bamboo-Stake/dp/B0051GUQO8/ref=pd_sim_86_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0051GUQO8&pd_rd_r=PP1M895S9SY5WETWXRFQ&pd_rd_w=tmahT&pd_rd_wg=zF6sb&psc=1&refRID=PP1M895S9SY5WETWXRFQ

Search :
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st_price-asc-rank?keywords=plant+trellis&rh=n%3A2972638011%2Cn%3A3610851%2Cn%3A3480694011%2Cn%3A3480695011%2Ck%3Aplant+trellis&qid=1501195143&sort=price-asc-rank



and use plant tie warping to attach all of them together or to the main one. Go to any home hardware shops, and long metal ones instead of bamboo...

Bamboo because it's organic and it won't affect anything, if you would use plastic one. Chances are that there is chemicals that can affect the plant if the product is not specifically made for plants.

Yes like these: https://www.amazon.com/OuYi-Galvanized-Landscape-Pegs-Securing-GardenStaple/dp/B077VPH29T?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_6

This was actually my original plan, as I thought I would have the normal gravel base.

I honestly don't want to unseat any part of the stone base at all, as I feel I'm just asking for trouble by doing so.

I'm wondering if it's possible to drill a hole large enough in the stone base for the earth anchor type that requires a drive rod would work? It looks like the widest part of the anchor is 0.87", so a 1.00" hole should work.

I have a couple of fiberglass stakes that have a joint in the middle, similar to a tent pole. I got them from Sotabeams, but they no longer carry them. I haven't been able to find anything like it, with the joint. It's like these plant stakes, but only about 3' long assembled, with a joint in the middle.
https://www.amazon.com/EcoStake-5-Feet-2-Inch-Ecofriendly-Stakes/dp/B018TOG5FW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1500486082&sr=8-4&keywords=fiberglass+plant+stake

Save them from what? Let them sprawl, or get taller stakes. Use this: https://www.amazon.com/Jumbo-Thick-Stretch-Ribbon-Garden/dp/B00M8MTNVU/ref=pd_sim_86_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=21yTkJSh%2BNL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=0SK6NM7NJS62XZQD7R2C. Staking annual plants means walking to the back of the shed, sorting the throwaway junk and being resourceful.

>As you get closer to harvest. Your plants start feeding off their fan leaves first. How many weeks til you finish? https://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-HGBB4-Natural-Bamboo-Stake/dp/B0051GUQO8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3QEH3Y9S6BBHS&keywords=tomato+sticks&qid=1556058543&s=gateway&sprefix=tomato+stick%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-3

Any chance you can use a peony stake if you want to try to keep them upright?

Hydrofarm HGBB4 4' Natural Bamboo Stake, pack of 25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051GUQO8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8q6VBbFVENQVH

There are other sizes.

It would be fairly difficult to drive regular stakes into an apartment floor, so use a bigger hammer and these instead: https://www.amazon.com/Pinnacle-Mercantile-Stakes-Ground-Anchors/dp/B07N139PWF

It might be easier if you sharpen the points.

Go to each one and pull the strands out. If you can see wood/paper then those are section that need to be replaced. When you replace a run, you replace the whole section. Thus you run from one closed in section on one side to the closed in section on the other. When you pull each run, there are pins holding it up. Collect them in bag and analyze them to see if they are rusted. As to the plastic that is on the floor take a flashlight and analyse it for moisture under it. If it feels like the thinness of a trashbag it's probably too thin. If the floor is entirely covered and has no open ground showing, you can (leaf, plastic) rake up any insulation sitting on the floor and just add another level of plastic and seal it into place.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026KZCXC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSINXV0

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071G3STKH

\^this\^

Landscape stakes. Maybe Suncast brand

https://www.amazon.com/Suncast-SS400-Garden-Edging-Stakes/dp/B06XK4XLXS

Landscape stapes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NIDNOX6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_iPyUAbSWTJNQP

I got one of these bad boys, a ground stake, so my dogs could wander around more freely than tying them to a tree or table. They still get tangled but it occurs less.

What about something like this? You could screw it in and attach an adjustable rope/strap to add some tension. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XX3FFV3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2ha7CbG68EM67