Planting a new tree or palm? Keep it strong with proper staking | Sally Scalera
Have you noticed new trees planted in yards or around new construction? If those trees aren’t staked correctly, injury or death could occur.
Most of this information will focus on trees (which are totally different from palms), but I will also mention how to stake palms.
If small trees are installed, they typically won’t require staking because their trunks are sturdy, and the canopy isn’t large enough to be blown over. On the other hand, if a tree has a straight trunk that leans over after planting or the tree has a tall and/or a large canopy, then it would be best to protect it from being blown over.
Anchor stakes can be used to stabilize the tree until new roots grow into the landscape soil far enough, and in great enough numbers, to hold the tree firmly in the soil. Even slight root ball movement can break new roots and slow plant establishment.
Trees in open areas that are unprotected from winds, such as in commercial parking lots, parks, and large yards, are more likely to require staking than those planted in protected areas.
Correct way to stake new trees
Three very important rules to remember are:
Remove all staking material that came with the tree, such as a single bamboo stake tied to the trunk in multiple places.
The staking material should be monitored throughout the year to make sure it isn’t constricting the tree as it continues to grow.
Staking material should be removed after one year. Trunk movement is necessary for developing a strong, tapered trunk, and rigid staking, where the tree is attached to the staking material high up on the trunk, will restrict trunk movement and impair the development of the trunk.
Many trees are still staked the traditional way, where two to three straps are secured to the ground or secured to wooden stakes placed around the tree. Securing the tree as low as possible on the trunk is important.
This can be accomplished by starting at the bottom of the trunk and pulling the trunk upright as you slowly move your hand upward until the trunk is perpendicular to the ground. It is in that area, where your hand is when the trunk is upright, that would be the optimum location to secure the support ties.
Ensure the supports aren’t tied too tightly around the trunk, because the tree will continue to grow. For locations that typically receive strong winds, there is no problem with allowing the trunk to bend away from the prevailing winds, as the tree’s wood will grow to compensate for the lean.
When a tree is staked, make sure to record it on the calendar so that the staking material can be removed at or before the one-year mark.
Another method of staking new trees eliminates the need to check them throughout the year. It also allows for the most trunk movement and is extremely low profile. With this method, four 4-foot wooden stakes are driven into the ground on the outer edge of the root ball (marking the four corners of an imaginary square surrounding the root ball).
The wooden dowels must be much longer than the depth of the root ball so that they go down deeper into the soil.
Next, a 2-by-2-inch board is secured on one side of the tree to the top of two of the four 4-foot wooden stakes. Use 3-inch wood screws to attach the board to both buried stakes.
Repeat this on the other side of the tree with the remaining two stakes. Additional information can be found at hort.ifas.ufl.edu. (Search for "tree staking.")
Correct way to stake new palms
Staking palms correctly is different from what is done for trees.
Many palms are field-grown, so when they are transplanted, they will have a very small root ball. When the roots are cut, they die back to the trunk. This requires the palms to develop a new root system when planted in its new location.
Tall palms should be supported to hold them upright through high winds and storms and to keep the root ball stable during root establishment.
The stakes placed around the palm's trunk should never be nailed directly into the trunk. Instead, burlap should be wrapped around the trunk and placed under four short, 2-by4-inch pieces of wood that are then strapped to the trunk. The support boards are then nailed into the short pieces of wood.
To see how that would look, go to hort.ifas.ufl.edu and search for "palm staking." After one year, the straps, wood and burlap should be removed.
I typically recommend purchasing small trees because they require less water and time for establishment and don’t require staking.
If a small tree won’t do, be sure to stake the larger tree correctly to allow for proper trunk movement. This will ensure your new tree can live a long and healthy life.
Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. Email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Stake a new tree or palm the right way to ensure it grows strong
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