Quality materials

[ironhat]

I needed some 2x4s to cut down for tomato stakes. I went home with six, hand picked 2x's and began to rip them down into 4 stakes per piece. Well, one of those bad boys started pinching so badly that I had to put a spreader in the curf and had to place another one before I mcompleted the cut. I was called in for supper and left the offending slice lay on the table and didn't return until after work the next evening. I could see that it had a fair, upward bow in it layed on the TS but the worst was yet to come. I piked up the stake and it was so wet that it rusted the TS (I guess that I need more wax- duh!). I chucked the remainder of the board and placed the two pieces that I had cut onto the pile. Three days later, this is what I got out of **one** of the stakes...

[Salty]

Check with your local lumber yards that have millwork capabilities, if there are any.
I used to work at one and they usually had a bin of what they called 'fall' from milling hardwoods. These made great tomato stakes. They were about a full 1" square and 5-7 ft long.

[crokett]

Chiz,

I was ripping some 2x4s for the bathroom project earlier this year and had to use a spreader too. This was on hand-selected supposedly dry wood. I let that piece dry and measured it - it was bowed about 2.5" across 6' of length.

Somebody I know uses 3/4" PVC pipe for tomato stakes. He drives rebar in the drops the pipe over the rebar. It doesn't warp, rot, twist, etc.

[ironhat]

Yea, I usually use some 6' steel fence stakes which have held up for quite a few years. I gave them to the daughter last year for her garden (I was unable to tend one) and decided not to ask her for them. She came over as I was cutting the 2x's and said that she forgot that she had mine and had bought some of her own and I could have mine back. Oh well, not a big thing. And, yes, these were also marked 'select'. What a joke.

[iceman61]

If those curl just a little more, you might be able to sell them for Sheppard's hooks.

[LCHIEN]

they already look like hockey sticks.

[jax]

The wood looks fine. I think your saw blade must have an arc in it.

Jack

[jhart]

The curves should match the tomato vines pretty soon.

[jziegler]

Next time, try some 1/2" (or bigger, if you prefer) galvanized electrical conduit for your stakes. I have a frame on one side of my vegetable garden that is a U shape of electrical conduit, you can hang either netting or string from it and let the vining plants climb up it. Comes from Square Foot Gardening, and works like a charm. Lasts longer than wooden stakes too.

Jim

[Wood_workur]

I use PVC and I must say it is really easy to work with.

[Hellrazor]

Somebody I know uses 3/4" PVC pipe for tomato stakes. He drives rebar in the drops the pipe over the rebar. It doesn't warp, rot, twist, etc.

Go to HD or Lowes and buy some 10' sections of 3/8 EMT, cut 4' off and hammer one end flat. I use the 4' stakes for the young tomato plants and then the 6' ones when they get about 2' tall.

edit: For those who don't work around electric, EMT is galv conduit.