It only took one trip to the beautiful landscapes of England (many years ago), for me to stop using plastic stakes in my garden to hold up plants. That trip opened my eyes to the idea of letting plant supports add to the garden instead of taking away from it.
In Britain, it seemed like everyone used twig cuttings (long thin branches) to support everything from sweet peas to beans and morning glories.
Their garden supports had so much charm! I immediately started doing the same thing in my own garden.
This weekend, I noticed that the tomatillos in my front garden were looking a little leggy and sprawling. I decided they needed a tripod cage and I had some freshly pruned apple branches that could do the trick…
(Yes, I know this is not the time to prune apple trees. But my Anna apple tree had several wayward branches and I had to snip them before they had fruit and snapped off.) They were the perfect length for my cage.
So armed with three twigs and some twine, I set to twork…okay…work. I just pushed the three branches into the ground around the plant and tied the tops with string. I also ran string around in circles to hold up the tomatillo branches.
That’s it!
I have found that it is fun to add toppers to mine…the possibilities are endless…
Keep in mind that whenever you do this with fresh cut branches, you run the risk of them rooting. It happens all the time. It is always better to let them sit and dry out first. But if you are forced to use fresh cut twigs and they do root, just yank them up at the end of the growing season before they get too secure. No big deal. If you don’t yank them out, you will have a new tree!
Notice the twigs on the right are sprouting towards the top. Oops!
I happen to have apple trees, so that is what I use. But you really can use almost any tree branch. If you don’t have a tree with long thin branches, see if a friend or neighbor can spare a few. Trust me. It makes garden support way cooler!
So what have you used in the garden as plant supports? I’d love to hear some of your ideas!
I’m sharing this tip over at The Barn Hop. Check it out for more homesteading ideas!
About the Author
Theresa Loe blogs here about taking the garden full circle while striving for a more local, fresh-from-the-garden lifestyle. She is a TV producer, video host, freelance garden writer and a wrangler of chickens and children. (Not necessarily in that order.) For more information on these topics, you can subscribe to her free monthly newsletter.
Theresa Loe is the award- winning Co-Executive Producer & Canning Expert on Growing A Greener World TV. She blogs here about Living Homegrown®, local and fresh-from-the-garden. 
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Oooh, pretty! I like your natural plant supports!
Our bamboos are starting to spread more than we’d like, so we use them to make trellises and supports.
Another thing we use, which is not very pretty, but we do it because our tomatoes tend to grow like mutants, are re-mesh (rebar? that wire “netting” that’s used for support for cement) bent into a cage. It’s the only thing that holds our tomatoes in/up. The pre-made wire tomato cages that you can buy at stores are barely large enough to contain our sweet and hot pepper plants.
I agree with you 100% Teresa about how the pre-made wire tomato cages not holding heavy tomato plants. I have used the wire circles on tomatoes too and you can see in my one photo above that I also attach that wire to the walls for my beans to grow on. I like how it looks after it rusts. It has that cool, urban look and I DO think it can be pretty! But once the tomato gets big you can’t see the support much anyway.
I wish I had bamboo to make trellises. They can look so pretty.
I use our crape myrtle branches when we trim in the early spring..we don’t trim every year so our branches are thick & sturdy. I also save old broom or mop handles & use them.
I love the idea of broom and mop handles!!! They are so strong and sturdy. Great tip Barbara. Thanks!
I often use bamboo too, but it’s the stuff bought at the store. I would like to get some hardy bamboo for our property, but haven’t found any yet. I have used pruned tree limbs as well, but will have to remember your idea of holding them together with a unique topper! Looks great!
Yeah the toppers can be fun. I’m always on the lookout for something different. LOL
I’ve done this before and I agree wholeheartedly with you! Charming, and sustainable, too! A very successful nursery owner once said this to my mom, regarding pruning: “The best time to prune is when you have the pruners in your hand.” As a busy gardener, I can appreciate this advice. I’ve pruned at all times of the year and it really doesn’t seem to matter, except for those blooming things like lilacs and hydrangeas. Timing is everything of course, in regard to blooms. If you don’t care about that, then I say prune away!
Excellent advice Kylee. Thank you. I laughed out loud at the nursery owner’s comment. Very liberating and easy to remember!
You are right of course. If you don’t care about blooms – go for it. I feel better.
Thanks for stopping by! I miss seeing you.
~Theresa
Uggh I failed and used bamboo…but it was old and weathered so that counts for character, right? I did used branches and vines and twisty-curly things from the floor of our neighborhood park to add instant character & disguise an ugly but sturdy arbor frame at my back gate. Planted clematis and we were quickly in business! Looks like it’s been there forever!
Just discovered you via NCoastGardening, a new twitter friend. Love your blog!
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Yes I saw that NCoastGardening said to use twigs instead of bamboo. But I think bamboo totally counts as natural!!! (Especially if it is weathered) So I think you did just fine. I just hate those green plastic covered stakes. They have no character at all.
I’m so glad you found me! I hope you return soon!
T
Love the toppers to dress them up!
Thanks Stevie!
I used pruned branches from my apple trees as garden stakes for several years. As you pointed out: Freshly-cut branches sprouted leaves in time with the leafing apple trees, and I had young apple starts in my vegetable garden until I pulled the stakes in the fall. I rarely remove branches more than a few feet long, so for any serious trellising I buy dimension lumber (usually 2x4s) and rip them on my table saw to practical thickness. In the garden, these quickly develop a patina of gray and blend well with the climbing plants. One advantage of lashing (tying together) trellises with hardwood branches: the rough bark tends to prevent branches from sliding around. When I’ve tied together bamboo, the smooth sections have failed to hold their positions and they’ve ended up with a rather “careless” look.
I am using the smaller and straightest branches from the trees we cut back last fall. I am hoping they work well and was wondering about whether they would root or not. That’s the main reason I am not using the rose bush canes we cut back. I think they will root just looking at them.
I have bought long wooden stakes which worked but I feel the branches will look so much more rustic and eye catching. I have also use bamboo stakes that worked well.
Yes, sometimes the branches root. But they are easy to pull out at the end of the season. I only use apple branches (as that is what I have growing here) and have not had a problem with it.