The higher the stakes, the greater the payoff

Your plants need your support!
Many common vegetable plants are some sort of vine needing a framework on which to grow, and even non-viney vegetables can greatly benefit from some sort of staking or cage.  Staking your plants gives them the support they need to grow, saves on garden space, allows more convenient access for harvesting, and when properly located will increase the exposure of your plants to the sun.  The taller your staking, the taller your vegetables can grow, allowing them to produce a better crop!  There are many forms of staking out there - too many to talk about them all, but I'll mention a few here and in subsequent posts in order not to go too long at one time.  

Sweet peas, runner beans, and the like are the most obvious in need of something to grow on - without it they would just ramble around on the ground in a big mess and eventually find another garden plant to overcome.  Their vines send out twirling tendrils in search of something to grab onto, and they will grab onto just about anything!  The most common form of staking for these types of plants include some sort of light fencing or trellis, homemade twine runs, and long poles or sticks installed in a teepee formation.

With fencing, almost any sort will do, except for solid wooden privacy fences.  Those often don't have enough small spaces for the tendrils to weave through and wrap around.  Chain link fencing does fine, chicken wire is great as long as it is well-supported every 6 or so feet.  Wooden trellis sections work great and are a little more decorative - just steer clear of those made of pressure-treated lumber as generally you won't want arsenic near where you're trying to grow food.  Metal trellis sections are wonderful - just make sure that if using any type of trellis that it is well-anchored.  If it were to fall over in a wind, your plants could be ruined.

A twine run is built by installing some sort of post every 8 or so feet, then running some sort of cable between each post along the top and bottom.  Then you take jute twine or nylon string and wrap it up and down between the two cables, zigging and zagging down the line.  It helps if you give it two wraps at each intersection with the cable, or even tying a simple knot to provide better stability.  The "V's" formed by your twin should be spaced, at a minimum, twice the distance between your plants.  The post and cable part of your framework can be left for years to come, but often the twine or string is removed at the end of the season and replaced again next year.  The advantage here in using jute is that it is biodegradable and therefore compostable, though you can't count on it breaking down in one season. 

Bamboo or other poles pushed into the ground and tied at top into a teepee formation work fine and can be a lot of fun for kids - they will usually find a way to make a small doorway to climb inside!