Give your herbaceous perennials a helping hand with a little support to help keep them looking fabulous. Geoff explains all, from bamboo canes to support rings.
Supporting herbaceous perennials
Read the transcript
Put supports in place before wind or heavy flowers damage the stems. Choose a support that fits the way the plant grows.
Stake individual spikes. For delphiniums, gladioli or large-flowered dahlias, tie each tall stem to a cane in at least two places. Use soft string in a figure of eight and knot it on the cane.
Support the whole clump. Use a ring or grid around bushier plants such as peonies. Let foliage grow over it to hide it. For fast-growing plants such as chrysanthemums, adjustable rings can move up as the stems grow.
