Live stakes are woody shrub cuttings that root quickly once planted in moist to wet soils along the banks of streams and lakes.
Why live stakes? They make a good, low-cost source of plant materials for stabilizing banks and restoring shoreland (riparian) vegetation in areas with low to moderate slopes. They can be locally harvested from established mature plants.
Caring for Live Stakes Before Planting
  • Keep live stakes fresh by storing them in a bucket of water or wrapping them in wet burlap
  • Soak the bottoms in a bucket of water for a day or two before planting them. Stored live stakes benefit from a fresh, angled cut at the bottom before planting.
  • If the stakes are being planted on a hot day, make sure to store them in the shade. 




Planting Live Stakes
  • Stakes should be planted at a 90° angle with ¼ of the stake (including a few buds) sticking out of the ground. 
  • Plant stakes 1 to 3 feet apart in several rows; a triangular arrangement helps fill spaces best. Live stakes are planted more densely because there is an expectation that not all stakes will survive.
  • In conjunction with live staking, cover bare soil with erosion control mulch or annual grasses and hay mulch to hold the soil and help prevent weed establishment until the stakes are established.

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Maintaining Like Stakes
  • To increase survival, live stakes should be watered once a week during their first growing season. 
  • If live stakes are planted while dormant, shoots should be seen in spring. If live stakes are planted during the growing season, it may take a year or two to see results.
  • If three growing seasons pass without signs of growth, remove the dead stakes and replace with live stakes. Be prepared to replant if the area is affected by drought or ice damage before the stakes are fully established. 

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Species available in our plant sale: 
Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba)
Red-twig dogwood (Swida sericea)
Silky dogwood (Swida amomum)
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Pussy willow (Salix discolor)
Bebb's Willow (Salix bebbiana)
Heart Leaf Willow (Salix eriocephala)
Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)