Wind damage?

[WellTidy]

The wind was very high in the south east yesterday, with torrenial rain. Went out in the garden to assess the damage this morning. After uprighting various pots, it wasn't too bad. I will need to stake the tall verbena, delphiniums and peony though I have never staked anything before. I probably should have done it last week. With verbena, of you stake each individual stem with its own bamboo? I have three different clusters of about five stems each.

A single cane for the whole clump should do. To be honest staking verbena looks a bit odd as there isn't much in the way of foliage to hide the stake.

I use these in various height as I think they are easier and give more support than stakes

Oops

Petal do you just let the stems drape over the top curve? Is there any fixing to the stems involved? I am sorry to sound so clueless, but I really am. I only became interested in gardening a few months ago, so I am doing everything for the first time. I have some of those supports from wilkos.

I have got them in various heights so that the taller plants have support higher up. If they are very tall I stake as well. I also have diverent types of supports. I bought them at Chelsea years ago. A tip I have learned is to put the supports round the plants before they grow. It is easy to damage a plant when trying to straighten it after it has blown.

My garden got absolutely battered by the wind this week, big parasol blown into flower beds, wind snapped off a load of my verbena and delphinium stems, have never had to stake verbenas before as they are usually sturdy enough, I've just put a few canes in for now to give them something to lean against. Hate strong winds with a passion!

Those look excellent Petal

too much wind here too. Lots of my broad beans fell over even though they were supported. My green house door fell over (a sliding variety). Some of the tall dill plants blew over.

Everything looks really tatty and im having a garden party next weekend!!

Petal

Are they expensive?

I can't remember, but generally for you get what you pay for like all things. For a very windy area or a fragile or heavy plant I would buy from Crocus or HarrodHorticultural. But for just propping up things like dahlias, peony, daffodil, Spirea and the like then I think B&Q or Wilko are fine.

I think that staking when the plant is young encourages it to grow straight and be self supporting. It is when you have an old established plant, or one that you are trying to straighten after it has bent needs something stronger. A combination of one more expensive one and a couple of stakes is best.
Mine are well hidden by the plants by early summer.

Thankyou petal.

My budget is definitely the Wilko's end of the scale so will look there.