Cypripedium stakes

[Maren]

Hi,

my cypripediums need staking during the growth period and I have just found that I am running out of my favourite stakes. These are round, painted in a natural colour and with a pointed tip. My current supply has dried up. I believe they came originally from Holland but don't have any contacts there. Would anyone out there who recognises them be able to point me to a supplier, please? I'd be most grateful.

I know I could settle for split bamboo flower sticks available in this country, but they have a rather unnatural colour, need to be pointed individually and don't last very long. 

Please help if you can. This is what they look like.

[Anthony Darby]

I've never had to stake any of mine. Is it windy?

[Maren]

Yes, it is.

[Pieter]

Maren
You say these are painted, but are they made of wood, plastic or metal?

If you follow the link below you will see a very good type of plant sticks from a company in the Netherlands. These are actually made of a metal rod  coated with some sort of ressin so they do not rust. And they are pointed. The price for 100 sticks 3ft long and 8mm in diam is 25,42 euro wich is about  £22.
They might not be the real ones you are looking for but if you ask me a good alternative, they will last for decades.

http://www.amevo.nl/plantstokken_splitbamboe/

Greetings

Pieter

[Slug Killer]

Maren

If you have a Wilkinsons near you the wooden painted green ones are £0.49 for 10 about 2ft long (I cut in half). The don't have a pointed end though but the blunt end easily goes through pumice and perlite. Not showing on the online store.

Pound Stretcher also do the same but a little thinner at 25 for £1.

David

[Maren]

Pieter,
thank you very much. This has been very helpful because I was able to use the Dutch to google for exactly what I want. I have emailed the company AGROCULTUUR@SAWECO.NL and hope that they will deliver to England.

David,
thank you for your suggestion. I used to buy the green split bamboo flower sticks from LBS horticulture in bales of 1000, but I have gone off them, they are very rough and I keep ending up with splinters in my hands, and then there is all the sharpening and they only last one season. That's why I am trying for the slightly more expensive model. Thanks all the same.

[Pieter]

Maren

No problem, I am glad to be of service.
With my job I get a lot of catalogues from suppliers like that.

If you need any help to translate an email from English to Dutch, you just let me know.

Greetings

Pieter