Recently, I followed in the footsteps of a long standing tradition: I installed pea sticks. Pea sticks are really what they sound like; sticks cut and stuck in the ground to support this spring vining crop. You can see examples of this in our Children’s Garden’s raised vegetable beds. Pea sticks have a time honored tradition imported from across the pond. You can be fancy, or plant more simple ones as I did. I utilized some deadwood on a nearby shrub, which needed to be pruned anyways, for my vine supports. I took a waste product and turned into an asset. Be sure to select sturdy branches, finger- or thumb-size thickness, without too much flex.
There are a number of plants, especially at this time of year as they push growth, that, for any number of reasons, may need a little extra support. As discussed in a previous article, we stake only a few plants in the Gardens. We do this mainly to keep them off other plants. Timely cutbacks of certain perennials, along with other techniques, can reduce the need for staking, creating a more compact plant with even more flowers to boot.
Josh Steffen, Horticulture and Facilities Manager
Glad you are following some trends from across the pond, we have been cultivating things for a while over there!
We’re learning, Emma! 🙂
Yours are more fun. Ours are just redwood twigs. They fall over winter, and almost all have the same taper and curve to them. Those that are too long just get broken as necessary. They are useful for a few tasks around the garden, and can be woven around larger limbs stuck in the ground to make low fences or, with a bit more tension to hold them apart, woven into trellises. Anyway, they work for peas (earlier in spring) or pole beans, although are not very artistic.
Thanks, Tony!
ah, the constant battle of form vs. function 🙂
It is not much of a battle. It is what is available. I suppose I could pollard a willow for something prettier, but then I would need to get rid of all the redwood limbs.