Giving Plants their Props

Dr. Gary Bachman: Many landscape plants need your support. Here are a few ways to go vertical today on Southern Garden.

Announcer: Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Dr. Gary Bachman: Whether your garden has flowers or vegetables, providing plant support using stakes, trellises, or cages can help you be successful. The simplest method of providing support is to use stakes placed in the ground next to your gladiolus or phlox. You can easily tie off the slender stems. Almost any material can be used as a stake. Bamboo, wood, plastic, and fiberglass are obtainable in a variety of colors as well as fancy, twisted, and coiled stakes that are available commercially. For a more natural and rustic look, use branches collected from pruning trees. Twist ties, yarn, fabric strips, or those reusable Velcro straps are effective in providing support and will not slice into the plant stems.

Trellises are used for climbing and viny plants that tend to sprawl over the ground. Materials can consist of hardware, cloth, or plastic mesh that gives the plants a surface to scramble on. The mesh could be hung between two stakes for a simple design, or trellises can be made from thin strips of wood secured in a vertical horizontal crisscross pattern.

Cages are thought of primarily for use in the vegetable garden. They are perfect for holding and containing those tomato plants laden with ripening fruit, but are also useful for flower-heavy ornamental such as hydrangea. Some cages have green coatings to help blend into the foliage. Whichever method you use for your plants to lean on, going vertical saves garden space, improves air circulation and gives an ordered look to the garden.

I'm horticulturist, Gary Bachman, for Southern Gardening.

Announcer: Southern Gardening with Gary Bachman is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.