U-shaped fixing pegs Flandria, 3 mm galvanised steel

They pin down weed-control fabrics and geotextiles, tarpaulins, wire mesh, shade cloths and artificial grass, whose edges the wind would otherwise lift. They also hold down hoses and drip irrigation lines: the 35 mm ring sits astride a 16 or 20 mm pipe without crushing it, which keeps the line in place without reducing its flow, like that of a solar irrigation kit. More watering and protection accessories can be found among the horticulture accessories.

The stakes can be pushed in by hand in loose to moderately compact soil, or driven in with a rubber mallet when the ground resists, as a heavy sledgehammer could damage the zinc coating. Drive them in perfectly upright, because a stake pushed in at an angle holds less well when the wind pulls on the canvas. In very hard, dry or stony ground, first make a pilot hole with a pointed rod, then insert the stake: this avoids bending it.

Galvanised steel is coated with a layer of zinc, which protects it from corrosion in outdoor use. The pegs can therefore stay in place from one season to the next under a mulch fabric, then be removed and reused when you move the fabric or the garden hose. Keep a few spare so you can immediately re-pin an edge that has lifted after a gust of wind, before the whole fabric comes up.