When and how to stake?

Houndag

Member
I've a few Aurora indicas in mid flower, on a slope with daily afternoon 15 mph winds. The tallest is a little over three feet. The are swaying pretty good in the the wind but they do have pretty stout stalks. Should I stalk them and if so how do I do it with maximum stealth? It's a guerilla grow. It must look natural.
 

BigNBushy

Well-Known Member
I have a similar concern. I went to home depot and they had green plastic stakes. These are pretty thin. I took them, drove them down in the ground right beside the plant. I used the soft wire ties (they have a metal wire in them but a coating of soft green rubber stuff) and twisted them to the stakes. The stakes I bought are about 6 or 7 feet tall, my girls are 5 feet tall so perfect height for me. You might want to take a saw or something and cut a couple feet off. But basically my idea was put the stake in as close to the center of the plant as possible so the plant hides it. And get it green also helps.
 

Houndag

Member
How close to the plant can I drive the stakes? I was thinking I might have to angle it in towards the top with it a distance away from the base of the plant to avoid damaging the roots. Not necessary?
 

sauceulike

Well-Known Member
I also used the green stakes from home depot but drove them in at the time of transplanting.I had a problem with my girls getting blown over from wind last year.I have learned form my mistakes!
 

Sunbiz1

Well-Known Member
You don't really need stakes at all for this, only some good jute twine.

Use your stalk as a stake and tie the individual branches to it, looping underneath to bring buds up and in. In cases of severe weather or high winds, I'll use 1 stake right next to the stalk...thereby keeping plants stealth.
 

BWG707

Well-Known Member
That's one big lesson I've learned after my first grow- insert stakes when plants are put into ground! I also use the plastic coated 7' stakes from HD and their plastic transparent green ribbon plant ties. I get constant 10 to 20mph winds with gusts up to 35+. I enclosed my garden with a fence and had to put up drop cloths as wind breaks. I use clothes pins in certain areas so I can open it up for better ventilation when needed. I keep the bottom foot open all around the fence to keep good ventilation also. This year it's been breezy just about everyday. I used to hate the wind, especially after losing several branches, but now I believe that it helps keep insects off my plants so I don't mind it at all. Supposed to develope stronger and thicker plants too.
 

BigNBushy

Well-Known Member
How close to the plant can I drive the stakes? I was thinking I might have to angle it in towards the top with it a distance away from the base of the plant to avoid damaging the roots. Not necessary?
I had this same concern. However, I checked on my girls one day and noticed that half of the plants root structure fell victim to some sort of animal digging. I filled the hole in with some dirt and the girl has not skipped a beat. So I Figure that driving a small skinny stake down in the ground next to it won't hurt it. So far it hasn't.
 

Houndag

Member
I picked up some green 4' stakes and green ribbon today. One guy at the shop told me no problem driving the stake next to the stalk, the other told me to drive equal to the outside of the canopy and angle it in. I thought about my last indoor micro grow. I regularly inserted a moisture meter probe right near the stalk, all the way to the bottom of the pot, without any problems. I think when I go out to the site next I'll drop the stakes 2-3" from the stalk and just hope I don't hit the main root. Stealth is paramount so strings, fencing and obvious stakes are out. A passerby that know what ganj looks like will key right in on the garden but someone who doesn't is the one I'm trying to avoid calling attention to.
 
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