I think a steel rod would be as strong as a bamboo cane. It would weather very attractively & last for several years. There are commercial delphinium supports out there like that.
Not sure how you would get a nice looking ornamental / practical twist in the top without some additional kit. It's the sort of thing a local blacksmith could do easily though - and probably for a lot less than many garden supplies companies are charging.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Didn't think of that because mine is a new garden on an old plot. All my trees are either 2' or 2" diameter - no convenient in-betweenies!
Pipe benders are not exactly on my radar either but I seem to remember the plumber using one for bending copper piping when we had the bathrooms done. I know copper is soft but I guess it would be suitable for thin steel rods.
Might have to go and buy one to try it - I quite fancy the idea of rusted metal delphinium supports - very on trend - and although I use bamboo canes I don't really like the look of them.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
I loathe the look of cane supports in gardens plus tehy rot and have to be re-done and they can poke your eye out. I use the bent metal rods with great success - discreet, can be made to order for the plant and cheap and everlasting.
I buy 5m lengths at the local building supplies shop and then cut them in half or 3 depending on the height of plant to be supported which can be 2m high helianthemums, slightly shorter echinops, then phlomis (the purple one), occasional floppy roses and so on. I bend them round an upright railway sleeper which supports a retaining wall then stand on a plank to bend the legs up. They push into the soil easily, go deep without snapping, no need for strings and become invisible very quickly as the plants grow.
Excellent.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Going to go with the making them ourselves I think. I don't like canes, dangerous and then you have to wrap string (or something) around them which makes the plant look unnatural. Thanks for all your suggestions - much appreciated folks.......................
Mine werent upright canes, they were bent into hoops, where I use canes I have cute coloured flowers made of plastic to fit over the tops, so you dont pope your eyes out
Posts
I think a steel rod would be as strong as a bamboo cane. It would weather very attractively & last for several years. There are commercial delphinium supports out there like that.
Not sure how you would get a nice looking ornamental / practical twist in the top without some additional kit. It's the sort of thing a local blacksmith could do easily though - and probably for a lot less than many garden supplies companies are charging.
A small tree is a good idea Tetley
Didn't think of that because mine is a new garden on an old plot. All my trees are either 2' or 2" diameter - no convenient in-betweenies!
Pipe benders are not exactly on my radar either but I seem to remember the plumber using one for bending copper piping when we had the bathrooms done. I know copper is soft but I guess it would be suitable for thin steel rods.
Might have to go and buy one to try it - I quite fancy the idea of rusted metal delphinium supports - very on trend
- and although I use bamboo canes I don't really like the look of them.
I loathe the look of cane supports in gardens plus tehy rot and have to be re-done and they can poke your eye out. I use the bent metal rods with great success - discreet, can be made to order for the plant and cheap and everlasting.
I buy 5m lengths at the local building supplies shop and then cut them in half or 3 depending on the height of plant to be supported which can be 2m high helianthemums, slightly shorter echinops, then phlomis (the purple one), occasional floppy roses and so on. I bend them round an upright railway sleeper which supports a retaining wall then stand on a plank to bend the legs up. They push into the soil easily, go deep without snapping, no need for strings and become invisible very quickly as the plants grow.
Excellent.
Going to go with the making them ourselves I think. I don't like canes, dangerous and then you have to wrap string (or something) around them which makes the plant look unnatural. Thanks for all your suggestions - much appreciated folks.......................
Mine werent upright canes, they were bent into hoops, where I use canes I have cute coloured flowers made of plastic to fit over the tops, so you dont pope your eyes out
Can you put used tea bags on top of the canes then!!!
Hello , I do have some bamboo canes but also use a lot of ash and oasis sticks , as they are free when I trim the trees each year