Plant Stakes and Shepherd Hooks

Clips, tape, stakes or staples: what are you holding?

Plant support clips fix vines such as tomatoes to a string or trellis, and stretch tie tape bundles stems without cutting them. Garden stakes of around 12 inches or longer prop or mark plants, while rebar J-hook stakes anchor edging, drip lines and row-cover hoops. Short heavy staples, such as 6 inch 11 gauge, pin landscape fabric to the ground. Shepherd hooks, used for hanging baskets, are taller and must be pushed deeply into firm soil.

Gauge, length and how many pins to buy

For wire, a lower gauge number means thicker wire, so an 11 gauge staple is stiff and holds in firm soil, while higher gauges bend more easily. Length matters as much: choose longer pins for loose or sandy soil. Packs range from dozens of clips to hundreds or a thousand staples, so count by edge length, pinning every foot or two, plus a few spares. Green coatings and tape rated for outdoor use resist sun, but steel pins can still rust.

Questions about Plant Stakes and Shepherd Hooks

How tall should a tomato stake be?

Indeterminate tomatoes climb to 5 or 6 feet, so use stakes at least that tall above ground, driven 1 to 2 feet into the soil. Compact bush types need only shorter stakes or cages.

What do staple gauge numbers mean?

Lower numbers mean thicker wire. An 11 gauge staple is stiff and holds landscape fabric in firm soil, while higher gauges bend more easily. Choose a length long enough to grip your soil, and go longer in loose or sandy ground.

How many ground pins do I need for landscape fabric?

Pin along every edge and overlap, roughly every foot or two, then add pins across the middle in windy spots. Divide the edge length by the spacing to get the count, and add a few spares for bent pins.