Supporting Dahlias
A Guy Wire System Page 3

I use electric fence wire size 14. Size 16 will also work on 50 foot rows, but it is more tedious to handle.

I use a "tapener" to secure the dahlia stems to the wires and other support mechanisms we use in various parts of our landscaping. As shown in the photos at the right and below, it wraps a 1/2" green plastic tape (ribbon) around a stem and the guy wire and staples it together in one simple motion. It is very fast and the tape is quite strong. The green ribbon-like tape stretches with plant growth.

The tapener is shown in the photograph on the far right. The roll of tape is in the orange part of the tool. The tapener, rolls of tape, staples and the very sharp blade that cuts the tape as it is stapled together are readily available at A.M. Leonard--garden tools mail order.

On the negative side, the plastic tape is very tough. Consequently, it is somewhat annoying when it comes time to cut the plants and make compost. It can be broken, but scissors are the best way to free it from dahlia stalks. Some scraps inevitably wind up in the compost pile.