When you plant a new tree, it depends on you for water, nutrients, and sunlight. But that's not all it needs. To ensure that it grows up healthy and strong, it also requires extra attention while it's young. For example, some early pruning can encourage the tree to establish a good shape as it grows. Another thing your new tree may need is some physical support – that is, a tree stake. Find out how to stake a tree properly.
What You Should Know About Staking
Many new trees need to be staked. It would help if you always staked a young tree with a dense crown of leaves and a small root ball. When you appropriately risk a tree like this, its root ball will be held still in the soil, allowing the roots to grow into the ground to anchor the tree and increase its stability.
Just about all our native vegetation communities are affected by weeds. They are vulnerable to exotic species that can change the structure, fire frequency, and species composition. Weeds can cause widespread damage and disturb the environment. They often grow faster than the native species, competing successfully for resources. They may also replace the plants that animals use for food, shelter, and nesting.
Be aware of the "crowbar hole"
Staking also prevents the wind from damaging the tree as it blows through its dense leaves. If you do not stake a tree, the wind can rock the root ball back and forth instead of remaining motionless. This kind of movement leads to a "crowbar hole," a gap around the base of a tree that collects water and can cause root rot. When you grab the trunk of a newly-planted tree and move it back and forth, you should not see any shifting of the soil at its base. If you do, staking can fix the problem. A stake can hold the trunk still long enough for it to thicken and taper. Tip: Check the ground for movement in the weeks following the planting of a tree. This ensures that a crowbar hole isn't developing.
Other types of trees that need staking include trees planted where there is a lot of foot traffic. Sidewalks or streets, for example. New trees that lean or have trouble standing on their own. Eucalyptus, oleander, acacia and mesquite hybrid trees, top-heavy trees with no lower branches. Plus, stake any young trees planted in windy areas or where the soil is loose or wet. Staking a tree also protects any new tree. It keeps lawnmowers away from the trunk, as can a circle of mulch or wood chips. A ring of mulch along with a stake also signals people not to step near the tree. Keep in mind that you'll need at least three stakes around the trunk of the tree to stabilise it properly.
Leave the stake in place until the following growing season. For instance, if you add a stake in the fall, remove it in spring. Or, if you stake in the spring, empty it when fall arrives. Also, be sure that you remove all the wire from around the branches. This prevents the tree from growing around the cables, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients.
Tree stakes at StrataGreen
If you're planting trees or completing any other project that requires landscaping supplies, StrataGreen is here to assist you. Could you take a look at our range of stakes? Meet our latest Aussie innovation, Tree Coach, the all-in-one planting and watering system that allows trees to grow more naturally. Because this product is unique, stay tuned for more on Tree Coach in the coming weeks.
We are a one-stop shop for landscaping supplies in Western Australia. Offering an extensive range of tools and equipment, we will help you complete any garden project. We've got everything you need in one convenient place. We go out of our way to provide the very best customer service as well. Let StrataGreen be your landscape supplier – you'll be glad you did! There is something to be said about buying and working with people you can trust.
Get in touch with us! 1300 866 367