Since when are Garden Stakes so expensive?

This is about the cheapest I could find.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1336633&clickid=prod_cs

Last time I checked, they were not this bad.

What am I doing wrong here?

i noticed this years ago...total ripoff...a 4 foot bamboo stick was like 5 dollars at home depot/lowes.....so i bought ten foot sticks of conduit for a dollar a piece and painted them green.

these are cheap - it says $1.96 for a six pack, but i think its $1.96 each stake:

http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors/h_d1/N-25ecodZ5yc1vZbx82/R-100619188/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=bambo&storeId=10051

I thought they were more expensive last few years too.

I was in shock when I saw it. I was saying to myself, this can't be right these must be like industrial strength or something. I'm gonna go check around tomorrow I'll see what I get.

Ace is definitely "not the place" unless you're in a pinch or you're one of those middle of nowhere folks where this is your only option.

Bamboo is all over the place in price depending on the vendor. Try and find an alternative garden center/farm supply/tack shop ...

A lot depends on what size (length especially) that you need for an application. Conduit is far from elegant, but it can be reused, drilled etc. Affordable as well.

eh...spray the conduit green and it is lifetime stake...cqan be cut down or left big for the monster outdoor plants