Staking trees for stronger roots

WRONG! The picture shows a tree that is so overwhelmed by the stake that has been used to secure it that it'll never develop a proper root system..

I received an email from Frances Kitcombe near Woking, Surrey, who wanted some advice on staking trees.

Dear Landscape Juice

My husband and I have just bought a specimen tree (for delivery in November) and need advice on how it should be supported. Last Spring we bought a Liquidambar which we planted as per instructions from the garden center in a hole twice as deep as the pot and three times the width. We used a combination of old compost from the heap and soil mixed together.

We then secured the tree to a stake which we acquired from the same garden center. It was difficult to do because the branches from the liquidambar went all the way to the ground level and no was not any exposed trunk.

When the tree was fully out in leaf it seemed to be thriving and looked really healthy until one morning after strong wind we found the tree had snapped just above the rubber tree tie.

The tree cost us £125 and the new one £80 (slightly smaller) but we do not want to make the same mistake. Please can you advise us the best way to secure the tree without making the same mistake.

Frances, You do not state how tall the tree is, or the size of the trunk or size of the stake but what you describe is quite a common problem.

I would suggest that you may well have used a stake too big for the job and secured the tie too tightly.

Usually in an attempt to secure a tree from wind damage we actually invite damage. When the wind blows strongly and the stake is too rigid, the top of the tree is forced to sway violently above the tie, leading to too much movement and causing it to break at this weakened area.

Use the smallest possible stake you can that will have enough flexibility to allow all of the tree to move (within reason) with the wind but still man enough to withstand strong winds.

The benefits are two fold. Firstly the tree will develop stronger support system as it sends down roots that act as anchors. Secondly it allows the tree to move freely in windy conditions.

I remember replacing many trees that blew over after windy nights when the rotten stakes broke at ground level. Problems occur because over zealous gardeners tend to tie trees so rigidly to over-sized stakes that the tree fails to develop proper anchoring roots of its own.

I always tend to steer away from stakes completely when planting small whippy trees under five feet tall. Left to develop naturally, the roots become exceptionally strong on trees that are forced to support themselves.

Also, if you are able to get a small stump in the ground with just 12 inches above ground and can secure this to the base of the tree trunk, then this is a perfect way to provide support but still allowing the tree to develop naturally.

You may also be interested in the post: The wrong way to stake a tree which is relevant to this post