How to Build Garden Stakes from Bamboo

This is as cheap and easy as plant stakes get. They're homegrown, won't rust like metal stakes, and bamboo actually lasts a few years out in the elements.

The plant on the right is in a huge pot (don't plant it in the ground unless you want a bamboo forest all over your yard) that allows it to grow 8-10 ft. stalks.


The plant is about 12 years old. Regular trimming helps keep it healthy. It needs fertilizer once a month during the spring/summer.

It also needs quite a bit of water during the summer. 



Depending on the heat (in Georgia it gets to the 100s) it may need water 2-3 times per week.


Or more. I usually let the hose trickle slowly on the plant for 15min to saturate the roots fully.

To make stakes, I trimmed two stalks off with rose clippers. I only need a 6ft stake for the peas I'm planting.


You can measure the stalk if you want, but I just eyeball the height I want and cut it off where the bamboo becomes too narrow to use as a stake.


I also use these stakes for tomatoes and other vegetables. I'll also use them to hold up my bird block fence.

There. All trimmed and ready to use in the garden. I just used the rose clippers to trim off the leaves as close to the stalk as possible.

The leaves will compost, but the twigs will take a long time to break down if they're thick.


Sometimes, I like to leave a little edge of stem to give the plants something to hang on to as they climb the bamboo.



For example, the pea plants will like to climb up it.

I used garden twine to tie three bamboo stakes together.

Then, I sunk each stake about 6-12in. deep in the soil.


Then, the pea plants were planted. 

I use these bamboo stakes for everything that climbs in the garden. 

You can make a trellis out of it for cucumber, or use it to make a bird block fence.