Live Stakes
Easy to use Live Stakes can solve many of your planting needs. All plants in this category are selected for ease of establishment and long-term survival. Live stakes are simply cuttings taken from woody plants that have the ability to root in place. These cuttings work to quickly stabilize soils and grow into larger plants. Live stake species like Salix nigra, Salix interior, Cornus amomum, and Cornus sericea are often easy to grow and selected for where they will grow best within your Hardiness zones. Live Stakes will begin rooting below ground and producing shoots above ground. These easy to use plants require very little effort but can create professional results.
Select Easy to Grow Live Stakes For Your Planting Project
Planting live stakes can be as simple as it sounds. Stick the stake in the ground with about half of the stick showing. Water your stake deeply to encourage rooting. Planting while the plant is dormant allows it to put out roots as soon as the weather allows. Plants like Salix discolor and Cornus obliqua root easily in soils that stay consistently moist. They also work great in places that flood seasonally or hold water longer than the surrounding landscape. During the first growing season it is important to keep these areas moist. After the plant has rooted they pretty much take care of themselves. With live stakes there is no need for fertilizer or special care once they have rooted. Since they grow naturally, they tend to blend in with the surrounding landscape.
Live stakes can help you create a more natural feel
Living root systems help keep soils in place while new vegetation grows above ground. Live stakes like Salix alba and Cornus foemina root over time to help secure soil and prevent movement. As the plants grow above ground they also begin to blend into the surrounding landscape. You can use live stakes near ponds, streams, and rivers to help stabilize banks. They also work great on slopes and depressions where vegetation has a hard time getting started. Live stakes can help build up the soil so surrounding plants will thrive. They achieve this by helping the soil retain moisture and allowing it to dry out slowly when there is not as much water. Eventually live stakes will grow into shrubs or tree-like structures further enhancing your landscape. Once they are established you can basically forget about them.
All of our Live Stakes will grow properly in your Hardiness zone
Live stakes should be used in their respective hardiness zones for the best results. When you use plants that are adapted to your area they will establish quickly and come back year after year. Keeping the planting area moist the first year will help encourage the roots to grow. Once established they will do just fine on their own. Mother nature takes care of most of the hard work for you. Planting live stakes is easy and renewable since they are simply cut from parent plants. After a season or two your Witch Hazel will have transformed from a stick in the ground to a plant holding the soil in place. Low maintenance plantings that get better over time are what you can expect when using live stakes.