What do you use to stake brugs in the ground, or in pots, for that matter, altho my concern is for my brugs in the ground, which are growing faster than the ones I have in pots.
I'm experimenting right now, trying to find what works best but so far, nothing is working really well for me. Stakes fall over, when the brug goes over, and I have used a three-point staking system using rope & 2' wooden stakes, with short pieces of hose covering the rope where it goes around the trunk of the brug but the brug trunks and stems tend to be brittle and break easily, so I have limited luck with this method.
Any other suggestions- I'm open!!
Brenda B
Staking Brugs
I use the green plastic coated stakes from Home Depot or Lowe's. I think they have a metal core (they're about a half inch in diameter). They are fairly light, but sturdy and come in different lengths. I've used long wooden stakes and the bamboo stakes - both are ok, but will sometimes break or after a year or so will rot off at the ground/soil level.
I also use the plastic coated stakes. They are really strong and durable. I have found square pots dont tip over as easily as round ones. I had put some of mine into heavy wooden square pots and staked them, if it gets too windy however, if you can, the best thing to do with a pot is to go tip it over until those 'wild wind storms' pass.
I had a Major Catastrophe in my shade house a few days ago when it got real windy. I wasn't home and it was about 116 degrees, full sun. The shadecloth got blown off-breaking off the tie down straps. Most of my large brug tree trunks got so sunburnt and they turned translucent yellowish right in the middlw. I think they will die!! The stakes held just fine though.
I'm afraid I'm gonna have to cut those nice tall trees down into little cuttings now. Already cut two, down in order to save the tops and bottom pieces, middle parts were toast. Beginning to really hate it here lol. I wish I woulda painted the trunks with white tree paint like I did all my fruit trees....
Thanks, that's two recomendations for the plastic stakes- I do use some and you're right, they do not break. But with 40 brugs in the ground, I ran out- time to invest in more of them!
Angel
Wow, so sorry to hear about your brugs- I didn't know you are raising yours in a greenhouse.
I know the wind can get really bad out there, plus the brutal heat, but when I gave my aunt in Boulder City some cuttings a few years ago, they promptly died- now I know that you have your brugs is a greenhouse, that makes sense, as you would have some humidity in there. Brugs don't seem to care for the high temps and 2-5% humidity, like you find in the a Nevada summer!
Hope you can salvage something from your babies- you must be heart-sick! Good luck!
I have two problems with staking: making sure the stake doesn't fall over, and finding a stake that's durable.
I had two brugs this spring that were bent and wobbly. I used a bamboo stake, about 1/2" and two feet long, to straighten them out. This stake wasn't in the soil, just attached to the stem. Then I used a second, stronger stake to straighten up the whole stem from the base, This one was inserted in the pot.
The plastic-coated stakes are usually tubular and can bend or buckle. A better choice, in my view, is a piece of re-bar. For a main stake, a piece of 1x2 can also be a useful option.
For potted brugs, I was putting the stake behind the stem to pull it up. Problem was, the weight of the plant pulled the stake over. Now, I put the stake in the front of the pot. Works much better, and it can't pull over. Don't know if I'm explaining this very well... but it works for me.
Thanks, rebar or angle iron is a good suggestion- can't beat the durability! And, you explained it very well.
I did not have this problem last year, except having to prop up branches on Cypress Gardens that were dragging the blossoms on the ground. No problems with spider mites and possible virus, either! I may have it all this year but I have 10 X's the brugs I had last year!
I use the thicker bamboo stakes and they seem to do the trick !
I have to use rebar to pre-pound any holes in my clay soil for anything I put in the ground, and have my lawn swing anchored down with it to hold it down in the wind. (This, after the wind picked it up & threw it down a few feet away 3 or 4 times) I also used rebar to anchor my lightweight C'mas decorations and it held really well thru a few wind storms.
I wasn't sure I could use it for plants because of the metal, so I'm glad to see someone else is using it successfully. :)
I have alot of wind up on the roof here.. nothing higher for maybe 20 miles across the harbor... then the wind hits me..
For adurable stakes... I find in the trash lots of ski poles... they are super strong usually painted aluminum... with a pointed end for driving into soil.. I pick up 6 eve-8 every year..
Many of the brugs are in big planters.. and get tied to the bamboo trellis behind them.. with plastic cable ties...to lessen the effect of wind damage [ blow over ] some of the plants in the bigger pots have their limbs tied to a near by structure.. or another plant.. I have morning glories.. and cypress vines intertwined through the tops also... this supports the plants and anchors them to supports nearby.. in another case some pots are grouped and tied together..so they can't be blown over.. Gordon
I've never had one of the kind I use buckle. If you have, I think you have bigger staking your brugs - like getting out of the hurricane! lol! The kind I use (from Home Depot) are plastice coated with a steel core.
I also use the green coated ones most of the time, but our local dollat store had bamboo ones for 4/$1.00. I cleaned them out. At $.25 each even if I get one season I am happy.
My only problem with rebar is that it gets so hot here, that if the brugs get windblown against the metal the stems/branches will burn badly. My dh had a good idea to deal with this. He says they make a rubber/plastic coating stuff that you can dip metal objects like tool handles etc. He says we could paint it onto the rebar, then it will have a coating on it so it will not burn the brugs. Gonna try it and see :)
Cool idea about the ski poles~never thought of that!! Ha I'd have bad luck trying to find those here though LOL.
I use those velcro ties to 'tie' them to the stakes they have held up pretty good and don't cut into the stem at all.
wholyhosta, I have my brugs in a shade/screenhouse not greenhouse lol. It is just a shade
structure made with shade cloth and wood, with misters inside. I had to end up cutting 5 large trees and most of them sunburnt badly. I was able to salvage a few cuttings from each to root, so they will be okay , just sorta have to start over on those, is all. Luckily I keep most of my newer brugs on the patio or in the house for now.
The other thing I would worry about with the rebar would be the sharpness of the tip & the hardness of the stake. I think I would wrap mine in a foam insulation type of material.
Any kind of device (bamboo, plastic coated, re-bar, redwood stakes, etc.0 mentioned will support a brug. The key is using the proper stake for the size of the plant and the existing soil conditions. If soil conditions are 'soft' a stake not driven deep enought will topple over. Again there is no need of using an 8' rebar on a 2' foot plant. Something else that is also worth mentioning here is to be aware of girdling the plant when tying it to the stake. I prefer 3/4" masking tape for securing a plant. It 's width alone helps to prevent girdling, only 2-3 wraps are necessary, and it is very cheap. When removing cut the tape between the stake and the plant leaving the tape on the plant, it will drop off in a few days without damaging the plant. Another useful tool for staking is a homemade stake driver. All you need is a peice of black iron pipe (2-3' llong) with an end cap on it. It will allow you to drive your stake's at any angle preferred without bending the stake. Be sure you purchase the black iron pipe large enought to fit over the stake's that you are using. BTW watch Big Lot's in the spring as they often have the plastic coated stakes (6' high) for $1.
Angle Tree..........Baby.. you're perhaps useing 1/2" rebar... take a bit of 5/8 Garden hose [commonsize ] cut a length andslip it over the steel.. leave it a bit long to shild the top of the rod..to prevent puncture injury.
here's a few reused ski poles...Gordon
Oh, the hose idea is cool - thank you!!
Pete, I use 2' rebar around here for a lot of things, but you can get it in different sizes at the hardware stores.
Good idea with the hose. Never thought of using it that way :) Love the skis, very creative!!