There are a number of plants that, due to their youth, growth rate and/or the amount of fruit they produce, need guidance so as not to end up with broken stems . We know this support as a tutor, since, like a human tutor guiding a child, these sticks help vegetables to develop better.
Currently we can also find plant supports that not only fulfill their function, but are also decorated with figures of suns or insects such as butterflies at one end to make them look much prettier. But, when should the guardians be placed?
Index
- 1 What plants need a support or guide?
- 2 How to place a tutor?
What plants need a support or guide?
Plant stakes, regardless of their design, are made by and to guide plant beings that need it . There are some that are more suitable for placing in pots, which are the plastic ones or the steel ones that are also covered by plastic, usually green; and there are others that are designed to be inserted into the ground, such as those made of wood or iron.
As we mentioned, we cannot put them on all of them, but only on those plants that really need it:
- Horticultural plants : tomato plants, peppers, cucumbers, pumpkins.
- Climbers : all of them need a support on which to climb.
- Trees and palm trees : if they are planted on land, during the first year it is recommended that they have a tutor so that, in the event of a very strong wind, they will not have problems.
- Plants that have grown seeking light : When grown this way, their stems etiolate (lengthen) in order to capture more light. By doing so, they become weak and can fall under their own weight. To help these plants, it is necessary to place a tutor on them and place them in an area where they are more exposed to the sun.
How to place a guardian?
Inserting a stake correctly is as important as the material with which it is made to withstand the wind that may blow in our area. We should not place it too close to the stem since doing so would not leave enough space for it to grow. The distance from the stake to the trunk will depend on the size of the plant itself.
In general, those that are going to be tall (trees, palms, climbers, etc.) are placed with a stake about 5-10cm from the main stem; on the other hand, if they are horticultural plants, they are placed at a distance of 2-3cm . When the plants have taken firmness and do not “grow sideways”, we can remove it as long as they are not horticultural, since they require it throughout the season.
The depth at which we insert it into the ground will also depend on the wind that blows in the area. The more intense it is, the deeper it must be.
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