Today I need to face the challenge of preparing the support structure for the roses that I plated last year. They have already started to open their buds and the time is running into Spring... I do not have many materials to work with (just a couple of bamboo poles, one long, one short) but I have the very best hand tool to split them...
It's an italian design adjustable bamboo splitter than has exchangeable blades: it cuts into 4 or 8 splits but I could add other blades and cut 5 - 10 or 6 - 12. Very smart concept.
Each split needs to be cleared a bit... and I really treasure my old thai style machete to do this kind of hand job.
Then it comes the time to mumble a bit and to arrange those few available pieces to do the job: 8 long splits and 4 shot splits...
They will have to go here, two arches between the three roses (where the rocks are, those whitish points in the grass).
I am figuring out a method that should work to make two exactly matching arches. I draw the arch in the grass by setting a few stakes to hold the shape. Then drilling a hole across them and start tying the splits together. The whole bundle it's temporarily tied to the first stake.
Drill and tie... drill and tie... the arch soon starts to shape up.
Here's also another handy trick that helped me a lot in this task! Since I did not have anyone to help holding the splits from springing away, I just used a sturdy thick metal wire to hold the splits together while I drilled the hole across them and tied them all up. Then... I just needed to slide the metal wire and keep going.
Almost done.
So here they are, resting on the inner division net behind them. I am quite happy with the result at total zero material cost and zero waste of resources. Tomorrow some extra supports and then I will be freeing the plants.
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