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Gardening in the UK

Plant support

21 years ago

I'm needing plant support for crocosmia Lucifer and also for astrantia and ladies mantle amongst others. I can't make up my mind between link stakes (I've got some of these and find them fiddly), border restraints or Y-stakes. Has anyone had any experience with any of these? They are so expensive I don't want to make a mistake! I would very much appreciate some advice.

Patricia in Cornwall.

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Comments (5)

garden_nerd
21 years ago
I have got some supports that I use for my peonies as they are so heavy. They're like a circle with crisscross wires which are supported on 3 or 4 detachable legs on which they can be raised or lowered. These are expensive, but last well and do the job really effectively. I also use various devices like sections of that wiry lawn edging to push back overhanging growth or just canes and string - though that doesn't work very well! I've got a bit of spare clematis support mesh that I'm going to play with this year.
Tremough
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks Garden Nerd. I think I'll probably get some of these and perhaps a few other sorts as well. I've never had much success with canes and string, and in a small garden (17' x 17') they're a bit unsightly.
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Better results? No as too much fruit is lost to rot, diseases, and other damage when plants are allowed to sprawl. Although with determinate type plants I find the damage is much less than with indeterminates. As you mentioned, there are plenty of other factors that can contribute to these plants vs. the others rather than just the lack of support with a cage. The lack of any pruning would be one big factor IMO. That they aren't in containers is another. That they are volunteers is another. How well they will actually produce and if the fruit is edible remains to be seen. Dave
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I had a piece of H. schneidriana as well. Bit of a saga with that one: first it took about three months to start putting out roots. I was SHOCKED it didn't die. By the end of the summer, it had good roots, and had tripled in length, but never branched. I decided to cut it into three. WELL ... I came into the kitchen the following morning to find that the cats had made off with the two pieces I left to callous. So I was left with one small (albeit healthy) stub of the original piece! Sadness. It did put out two arms. I moved a few months ago, and no longer have a window with full sun. It was too cold to risk bringing it to work, though. It still grew, but without full sunlight, the new growth is pitiful. More sadness. I brought it to work this week, and I'm slowly acclimating it to full sun. Crazy thing? I see a tiny bud on one of it's skinny arms. We'll see what happens.
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flora_uk
21 years ago
What about just using twiggy prunings a la pea stick? Free, bio degradable and trimmable to any size.
sunflower2
21 years ago
I have tried many types of supports, but for crocosmia would use the y-stakes as they are unobtrusive and do the job brilliantly. I use the round criss-cross table type supports for tall perenials like helenium and syldalcea to grow through and the large semi-circular supports when it's too late and the rain and wind has blown them over!
Tremough
Original Author
21 years ago
Thanks for all the advice. I know what you're saying, flora uk, about twiggy prunings but I don't have any bushes to prune.

Sunflower2 - your advice was just what I was looking for. I'll definitely try the y-stakes and perhaps a couple of the criss cross types.

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