When planting a young tree support is one of the most important things you need to provide for the tree when it is young. Along with water and nutrients which may come naturally but which you would be monitoring. Staking is something that you have to consider that nature will not help you with.
Without staking a young tree the tree might grow extremely crooked for the rest of its life. If you don’t hold it up somehow which is the process of staking. So you always should have some support, whatever the situation may be.
Contents
What is Staking For Young Trees
Traditionally, young trees are kept upright by putting long stakes in the ground on either side, and tying loops around them. It is recommended that each loop is fairly loose to allow the trunk room to expand. Many people simply have a stake on one side of the tree, but this isn’t a good practice because it doesn’t allow the tree to grow.
When You Should Consider Staking a Young Tree
If you think that the ball of roots within the ground may be moving due to forces such as wind, you should stake your tree. The root system of your tree needs to be supported by a stake to prevent all of this movement. Efficacious growth of trees depends upon their roots getting a strong grip on soil. If the roots are in constant motion, the tree will be unable to grasp the soil properly.
It’s important that you are 100% sure that a tree needs to be staked before you do it. Constricting a tree’s growth and movement may damage it beyond recovery if it does not need to be tethered down. If you use the wrong stake mechanism, the trunk could develop abrasions or “rashes.”. However, why waste time having this happen needlessly? Furthermore, staking makes your yard look unnatural and can create a hazard for people walking and running through it.
How to Stake a Young Tree After Planting
In actuality, staking is a relatively simple process. You just need to tie three stakes near the base of the trunk separately. The best solution would be to tether the rope to your tree to prevent rope burn. The tree’s bark will be protected by these products, which are sold at any gardening store. To minimize the amount of friction the tree has to endure, it is much better to use them than bare rope.
When to Remove Nursery Stakes
Many people ask how long should they stake a tree for?
Well the answer is that the stakes should be removed as soon as possible as soon as your tree appears strong enough to stand alone. Every time the tree is constricted to some extent, it loses some of its vitality. When the wind seems to be dying down around your area, check the weather reports to find out how much wind is predicted. You should at least temporarily remove the stakes if the skies are going to be clear for some time and you don’t consider the wind state in your area to be a risk to your young trees and that future health.
To sum it up, you should never ignore your tree’s staking needs. Occasionally, this is a very necessary step to take. However, it is essential that you know when those events are. A tree that does not need to be staked may present the same risk as one that needs to be staked. A tree expert or good online reference site could be a good resource for you to find out whether your tree needs to be staked, and for how long.
