Fixing pins and pegs are only ever a means to an end: what needs holding down, for how long, and how tough is the ground it is going into? Answer those and the choice between GreenStake, Bio-Peg, the oxy-degradable stake and steel pins gets easy.

Does the fabric need to disappear too, or is it staying for good?

Biodegradable mulch mats, coir, jute and erosion fabric are usually pegged down with something that rots away on roughly the same timescale as the fabric itself, so nothing gets left behind to dig out. Stakes & Pegs (GreenStake) covers this broadly: erosion control fabric, mulch mats and landscaping netting, holding firm even in hard ground, then breaking down completely within about 18 months. Where the fabric is specifically Phoenix ‘Ecotex’, Greenstake Bio-Peg is the peg listed for it, 100% biodegradable, rotting down alongside the mat so there is nothing plastic or metal left in the ground once establishment is done.

Permanent ground cover membrane, the kind laid under gravel or paving rather than around planting, is a different job. Black Plastic Oxy-Degradable Stake is formulated to last at least 7 years before it starts to break down, a middle ground between a fully biodegradable peg and something permanent. For a genuinely permanent fixing, or where the ground itself is the deciding factor, Steel Fixing Pins are the option, supplied in whatever length and gauge the site needs.

How hard is the ground going in?

GreenStake is built to hold in hard ground as well as soft, and outperforms metal staples on holding power according to Phoenix’s own figures. Steel pins do not come in one standard size: length and gauge depend on the ground and the material being fixed, so there is no off-the-shelf answer here. Contact the sales office with the site details and they will confirm what is available.

Which fixing for which job

  • Stakes & Pegs (GreenStake): general biodegradable fixing for erosion fabric, mulch mats and netting, gone within about 18 months.
  • Greenstake Bio-Peg: biodegradable fixing specifically for Phoenix ‘Ecotex’ mulch mats.
  • Black Plastic Oxy-Degradable Stake: permanent ground cover membrane, at least 7 years before breakdown starts.
  • Steel Fixing Pins: permanent fixing, sized to the ground and material case by case.

Most of these are quote based rather than fixed price, since gauge, length and box quantity depend on the job. Use the enquiry form on the product page, say what you are pegging down and roughly how hard or soft the ground is, and pricing will follow.

Frequently asked questions

Do biodegradable pegs actually hold as well as metal staples?

Yes. According to Phoenix's own figures, GreenStake outperforms metal staples on holding power, even in hard ground, while still breaking down completely within about 18 months.

Which peg goes with Phoenix 'Ecotex' mulch mats?

Greenstake Bio-Peg is the biodegradable peg listed specifically for pinning down Ecotex during installation, so it rots away on the same timescale as the mat.

I need pins for permanent ground cover membrane under gravel, not planting. Which one?

Steel Fixing Pins or the Black Plastic Oxy-Degradable Stake, since permanent membrane does not need a peg that breaks down on the same clock as biodegradable mulch mats. Steel pins are sized to the ground and material on request, and the oxy-degradable stake is formulated to last at least 7 years.