The Handy Utensil That Gives Growing Seedlings The Support They Need

Taking care of a garden filled with seedlings is exciting. It's very satisfying planting, tending, and watching your hard work flourish in your backyard. When the sprouts begin to unfurl and grow, you're left with a sense of pride knowing that your research, determination, and muscle power will soon be rewarded with a tasty crop. However, your veggies might not grow as strong as you would like them to if your seedlings keep flopping over. There is a super easy way to fix that though, and that is to use leftover chopsticks to help prop them up.

Whether you have a bunch leftover from takeout or bought a pack of disposable ones you have never finished, it's a great way to upcycle them into something useful. Rather than purchasing specialty stakes at the store, you can just use something that has been collecting dust in your pantry. Here is how.

You won't need to stake every single one of your seedlings. Instead, you'll only need to support the ones that tend to flop over, such as tomatoes, snow peas, cucumbers, peppers, and gourds, to name a few. Their veggies or leaves are often too heavy for the stalk to support on its own, causing it to fall over. A stake will ensure the stem doesn't accidentally snap. It also encourages air circulation, which reduces the chances of disease or pest infestation. While some gardeners might want to get special stakes for the project, you really don't need more than a chopstick for a seedling.

It's the perfect height and should support it for a few weeks. All you need to do is push it into the soil near the seedling, being careful not to jam it into the roots. Then secure it to the stalk with a loose piece of twine. You don't want to tie it too tightly, or the string might cut into the stem as it grows. And that's it! Your gardening problem is solved.