There are many ways to keep your flowers and vegetables from splaying. Yes, you can purchase trellises and stakes from your local garden store. Many of them are perfectly adequate. But you can also think creatively and use what you have on hand. Tree branches, old wooden ladders, bamboo tripods—if you have it, use it!

The important thing to know is when to stake. The answer is, before your plants get so tall that they begin to flop. Stake tomatoes when they're about a foot tall. Have supports in place for sunflowers, dahlias, and other tall flowers when they're 12 to 18 inches tall. And plants that climb, such as cucumbers and morning glories should have something to hold on to before they develop twining stems or tendrils.

Here are some staking techniques that are both effective and attractive:

Bamboo is lightweight and strong – up to three times stronger than wood of a similar diameter! You can purchase bamboo in various sizes or, if you know someone who has it growing on their property, you can harvest it.

Bamboo trellis are good options for peas, pole beans, tomatoes or cucumbers. Zip cable ties can be used to join stakes to create A-frames or trellises. Cross bracing on the tomato trellis (right) makes for sturdy construction. Stake trellis corners into the soil with rebar or wood stakes to prevent the structures from collapsing from the weight of your plants.

Note: You can also purchase A-frame trellises for cucumbers and squash, or construct your own using metal fence panels with a grid size of 4 to 8 inches.

Borrow from the pros: Horizontal raised netting is popular with cut flower growers. Attach a wide spaced (6 inch grid) netting to bamboo poles or fence posts to keep tall flowers growing upright.

A "stake and weave" system maximizes space for tomato growers. Drive a stake between every two plants. As they grow, weave sturdy string between stakes so that it supports the vines on both sides. This will need to be done weekly.

An elegant natural solution for supporting peas, sweet peas, or cucumbers is using tree prunings to make a tower. Cut branches when they are still pliable to create climbing structures.

Nearly invisible supports for tall flowers can be made by strategically using forked branches to hold back rambunctious growth. Create grow-though supports using flexible branches.