Footprint 26: Staking

The wind howled today.  This must be a gardener's worst nightmare.  One can do something about too little water, and one can do something about poor soil.  It is much harder, without building protection, to do something about the wind.  The peas and beans are getting bigger, and I noticed that the stems were starting to move enough in the wind to make a hollow around the stem in the soil.  So it was time to stake the plants:

Staking beans and peas

I bought long and medium bamboo stakes at the nursery - long for the beans, and medium for the peas.  I then used cable ties to attach the plant to the stake:

Staked bean

Why cable ties?  So few people are actively interested in their gardens today, that plant ties are very expensive.  So many people have computers today, that cable ties are very cheap.  It is about supply and demand.  In essence plant ties and cable ties do the same job.  One has to use a bit of lateral thinking if one wants to find reasonably priced items that work, even if they are out of context.

Staked Pea

I am intrigued to see whether the pea's natural climbing supports find the stake by themselves, or if I am going to have to guide them.  I will leave them for a few days and see.

Next time I do this, I will place the stakes sooner.  I have read that placing the stake later can damage the roots.