Help Me Make Plant Supports (out of steel rods, or similar)

dogstarheaven

seen on Gardeners' World, I think some years ago that you can make your own but i'm not sure whether i'd be able to bend the rod to the correct shape, as it looked pretty strong to bend. has anyone had a go at making these before and if so can you offer any tips. i'm not sure where to buy these rods, but maybe B&Q and such might, nor have any idea how much each rod would cost. i do know it should be a lot cheaper than the exhorbitant prices that garden centres charge tho' (£7+)

timbim_2

If you don't have any experience working with mild steel, then I wouldn't bother. What are you trying to support? You can do some pretty amazing things with bamboo canes, tennis balls and some twine.

dogstarheaven

hi timbim

No, I don't have experience of using steel of any kind, but after finding about this link to the original technique http://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/united-kingdom/156379-metal-plant-supports.html I know that this is possible. the rods I bought aren't steel but some other metal that is pliable and is 3mm thick. The steel rods that I've seen in Homebase looked far to thick and strong for me to bend. I want to use the supports to help maintain my delphiniums. Last yr, they collapsed when I had a particular windy, rainy day. I don't like using bamboo as they can be a bit sightly, and pea sticks aren't strong enough to support their weight.

sufisu

I know they don't look quite as swish as all metal plant supports, but I've found a bamboo cane with a metal coathanger formed into a circle and then pushed into the top of the cane works pretty well. If you use the green coloured canes, they blend in with the foliage and are almost undetectable.