Garden stakes keep breaking!

[outback]

Gee I'm allowed an occasional typo aren't I. Now corrected.

Of course you are, particularly when they are funny like that one.

[JDarvall]

Probably a good idea to wear ear muffs or plugs when using that driver.

[Barry_White]

Probably a good idea to wear ear muffs or plugs when using that driver.

Only makes a dull thud when used on garden stakes.

[JDarvall]

oh, I thought he was talking about getting steel star pickets. My mistake. Just made me think of my first day fencing out on this farm. Didn't have any ear muffs. Bearly hear a thing by the end of the day but riiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnng.

[LandscapeDesign]

What is your method of staking?
A single stake, two or three stakes? And do you tie the plants loosely or tight?
Larger trees should not need stakes if they are established and have healthy roots. Staking them only makes the trunk weaker because it doesn't need to develop it's own strength.
In my experience 3 stakes with three ties is reliable.

[rhancock]

It can be either. You would probably need to find a rural supplies store to get one. I bought mine, but my brother in law made his own. Just a piece of pipe big enough to go over the stake with some clearance a couple of handles and one end blanked of. Do needs to have a bit of weight in it.

Here is a pic of mine.

I've seen them at Bunnies...

[Bleedin Thumb]

Make sure that the starpicket driver will fit over a 50 x 50mm stake. They usually don't. I had to get a driver made specifically to fit the 50 x 50 out of 60 x 60 square section from memory.... about $120 .

[batcat]

Quick and dirty... I have an old screwdriver with a shaft about 18" long. I hammer that into the soil to check for rock and make a 'pilot hole' where I want to put a graden stake. Works fine!

The 'tool police' would not be impressed, but I bought the screw driver for just this task at a 2nd hand shop for $2 )