Gareth Carter: Use stakes to protect against wind damage 11 Dec, 2020 04:00 PM 6 minutes to read Hydrangea Bridal Bouquet. Photo / Supplied Wow again we have had some serious amount of rainfall. Very good for ensuring a good water table going into summer and it extends our active planting season. The wind, however, has been more challenging with soft tender shoots on roses being damaged. The importance of using stakes and ties is reinforced when such storms come through. While the soil is moist it is a good time to apply mulch to the garden. This will reduce water loss from evaporation, keeping soil moisture levels higher for longer as we go into the drier summer months.