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Washington State University
Gardening in Western Washington -
Native Plants
(Identifying, Propagating & Landscape)
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Live stakes are 3-6
foot hardwood cuttings that are planted outdoors without rooting
hormone. Live stakes can only be used if the soil is fairly wet at
the time of planting, and the stakes need to be long enough to
reach the moisture. As with other hardwood cuttings, cut the lower
end of the stake at an angle, and the upper end flat across.
- Live stakes can be planted
in late fall through early spring. If they are going to be
stored before planting, bundle them in groups 50-100 and
place in plastic bags. They can be left outdoors– normal
freezing should not harm them. However, if the stakes have
been sitting around for a while and have developed roots,
they need to be kept just above freezing, since freezing
will kill the roots.
- Live stakes can be driven
into the ground with a mallet, and should be placed in a
random fashion (not in rows). Spacing should take into
account how large the plants will eventually become, and the
fact that some of them will probably die. Leave the top two
nodes above ground. To make sure no one trips over them,
paint the tops of the cuttings a bright color or fence off
the area.
- Water the cuttings
occasionally through at least the first growing season, and
cut back any encroaching vegetation.
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Native
plants that propagate well from live stakes:
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Credit:
Leigh, Michael. Grow Your Own Native Landscape.
Revised Edition, June 1999. |
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