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Flower Supports Buying Guide

Have you ever noticed that some gardens look better than others? Why is that? One important factor that determines how beautiful a garden looks is how the plants themselves look. Plants that are standing straight up look better than plants that have fallen over or are covering up other plants.

One way to ensure that your plants stand straight up is to provide them with a proper support system. There are many different types of support systems for flowers. Each one has its own uses and suits different types of plants. Here's a discussion of the various types of support systems available, when you would set them up and what plants to use them with.

There are two times when you would set up a support system for flowers:

1. When you plant the flower. This works well when you know that type of plant is prone to flopping over. Therefore, set up the support when you plant the flower so you can prevent it from flopping over in the first place.
2. After the fact. You would set up this system after the flower has started to grow because it hasn't needed any support up until this point and you didn't expect it to need support. Then, due to a sudden down pour or because of the height of the plant, you may find that the plant now needs to be supported.

 

Ring-Style Supports

These supports have 3 to 4 rods that stand upright and are connected by circular rings. The rings are what hold up and support the flower. Ring-style supports work best when they are set up when flowers are first planted or they are still small in size. Then, as the flower grows, it can rely on the rings to support it.

There are many different styles, such as single rings, double rings (two rings at the same height), and multiple single rings (where the rings are all at different heights). When deciding on which style to buy, consider the height of the flower. The taller the flower, the more rings the ring support should have.

Set Up: When the flower is planted.

Plants that are well suited to ring-style supports include:

• Balloon Flowers;
• Dahlias;
• Delphiniums;
• Hollyhocks;
• Large cosmos ('Sensation'); and
• Phlox.

 

Grid-Style Supports

They look similar to a ring-style support, with 3 to 4 rods standing upright. However, the difference is noticeable at the top because instead of having an open circular ring, grid-style supports have a grid. The grid offers more support than the ring-style system does. Again, it is best to put the grid-style support in place while the plant is still small.

 

Set Up: When the flower is planted.

Plants that are well suited to grid-style supports include:

• Asters;
• Baptisia;
• Cosmos;
• Peonies;
• Phlox; and
• Tall varieties of snapdragons.

 

Linking Stakes

These look like regular stakes, but with a curved arm at the top of the stake. The loop is useful because the stalk of the flower can lean against the loop, without you having to tie it to the stake. You can use curved stakes with any plants that you feel could use the extra support. The stakes can also be set up before or after the plant grows tall.

 

Set Up: At any time.

There are many reasons to use curved stakes. These include:

• To keep the flower from leaning over a pathway;
• To support flowers after they have flopped over; and
• To provide extra support to the core of a flower.

 

Stem Supports With Gathering Rings

This type of support has a long stake with a small ring at the top. The ring has a small opening on one side to allow you to slip the stem of the plant into the ring. These supports are perfect for tall plants that have large flowers at the top, since they have the tendency to flop over when in bloom. As well, some plants occasionally have a weaker stem than usual that needs extra support against strong winds.

Set Up: At any time.

Plants that are well suited to stem supports with gathering rings include:

• Bearded irises;
• Foxglove;
• Gladiolus;
• Oriental lilies; and
• Zinnias.

 

Stakes and Poles

Stakes and poles are generally thicker than the options listed above, so they can support more weight. They come in a variety of materials, including wood and bamboo. You can use them for tall plants or for shorter plants with heavy flowers. Place the stake or pole right against the stem of the plant and then use Plant Ties (specifically designed for plants) to loosely tie the plant to the stem. As the plant grows, the Plant Ties will ensure that it will stay upright and straight.

Set Up: Can be done at any time; but the earlier, the better.

Plants that are well suited to stakes or poles include:

• Dinnerplate Dahlias;
• Hollyhocks;
• Sunflowers; and
• Tomatoes.

 

 

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