It ’s a generation - longsighted habit for many gardeners and landscapers , but 90 % of the meter , a unexampled tree needs no staking . In fact , staking a sapling usually does more harm than proficient .
I see it everywhere , every spring : newly found treesstaked with wires like they ’re being contain prisoner . I give each Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree a glance , and it ’s unmistakable that most are plant too deep – no root flare can be seen . And at the base of the trunk , the burlap that surround the root ball is peeking up from the soil ( burlap should always be removed because it does n’t disintegrate in the planting hole ) .
Poor tree – it wo n’t be in this humanity for long . This is the kind of “ nuance ” I throw when walking my wiener – silently and with an eye roll , of trend .
Why staking can be harmful to a tree
Staking a tree that does not need it can do more harm than good . Movement of the trunk aid strengthen it by thickening it and giving it taper from bottom to top . Trunk movement also excite ascendant growth . So although staked trees might farm taller faster than their unstaked counterparts , their trunks are weaker and their solution systems are less developed .
It seems coherent that a sapling might need a little assistance to remain straight and unsloped in its first few seasons . But providing musical accompaniment is counterproductive tolong - terminus tree healthand what ’s happening underground .
When you stake a tree , a dependent relationship is created between the tree and its stakes . The result is the sapling does n’t develop decent . Specifically , its trunk and roots do not mature as needed for the site .
Staking also restricts the ontogenesis of the xylem , the vascular tissue that conducts pee and food up from the root and help oneself form Sir Henry Joseph Wood . The tree may also develop wound as the wires or material rub against the immature bark .
The root of the problem
When it has “ help ” via wires and post , the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree has no need to grow arobust root systemand a strong automobile trunk that will anchor it through thick and lean . When supported with stakes , the tree will grow tall but not as warm or wide as it needs to be for the situation . Later , when you slay the stakes , the undeveloped trunk and roots make the tree vulnerable to sluttish breakage of limb andmay be foul up down in eminent winds or hurricane . Conversely , when a tree is not staked , it respond severally to H2O , sparkle , and wind and its body and origin develop accordingly .
Linda Chalker Scott from the University of Washington allow for a good explanation:“A relative exemplar is what is seen when forests are crystallise for caparison development . A few trees near the center of the stand are left on the lots ; these Tree are tall and scraggy with well - developed crown . But in the first good windstorm , down these trees come . They have lost the supportive security of the surround trees and are unable to stand alone . ” ( see the link below for her article on hazard )
Staking a tree can cause other problems, too
Additionally , improper staking can have severe equipment casualty to the tree . Suppose the tree is tied too tightly to the bet . In that character the tree can becomegirdled , meaning the bark is accidentally removed in a flight strip around its perimeter . This weakens and sometimes pour down the tree . At the very least , it throttle the tree ’s growth and long - term health .
Too - mingy staking can also cause the tree diagram ’s proboscis to acquire unequally . If the trunk above the wire can move , but not below , the upper helping of the trunk may become thicker than the trunk below the wire . This touch the smooth travel of water and nutrient up and down the automobile trunk . Conversely , when a tree diagram is tie too loosely , the bark is incessantly rubbed , which may cause wounds that never heal correctly .
When is it okay to stake a tree?
Sometimes , it ’s perfectly correct to stake a tree :
If the situation is appropriate and a landscape tree require stake the first season , use sturdy alloy or wood stakes to anchor the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Never use telegram or Mexican valium between the stakes and the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree as it may damage the bark in serious ways . Instead , employ a indulgent material such as old t - shirt fabric or old pantyhose . The tree needs to move , not be held absorbed and the flabby stuff wo n’t damage the bark .
Remove the bet as presently as possible so the tree can develop correctly . To determine if the tree is ready , push gently on the luggage compartment and look at the root area . The tree should come out anchored , and the tooth root glob should not be move . If that ’s what you see , remove the stakes .
Sources : The Myth of Staking , Linda Chalker - Scott , Washington State University(pdf download);To wager or Not To Stake , ok Gardening;Dos and Don’ts of Tree Staking , LSU Ag Center;Stake or Not To Stake , That is The Question ? , Purdue University Landscape Report .
