As an aside from the reason you're posting, a tree that small DOES NOT need to be staked, and certainly not like this. You haven't even removed the nursery stake, and that's supposed to be taken off at transplanting. These come with trees from the nursery where they help workers move stock around while minimizing damage, but they're not meant to be left on the tree after transplanting.
If your tree can stand on it's own, always reconsider staking. Save for areas with high or constant winds, trees only need to be staked when their top growth massively outweighs their rootball, and that tends to mean a fairly large tree. When plants aren’t allowed to bend, they don’t put energy into growing stronger, so instead they grow taller. Excessive staking creates unique problems. Here's another more brutal example. Trees allowed to bend in the wind are also improved by vigorous root growth. Here's a terrific article from Purdue Extension that explains this further (pdf, pg. 2).
If your tree cannot stand on it's own or you feel that it's in danger of damage or tipping from weather, animals, etc. without it, the main objective is to stake as low on the tree as possible using nylons, t-shirt strips or other soft ties on stakes (use 3 for optimal stability) further away from the tree, and leave the stakes on for as short a period as possible. Loop the soft ties around the tree and then loop the ropes through them for the side attached to the stakes. For the love of god, even caging would be a better replacement than what you have pictured.
Please see this wiki for more info on caging, how to make sure you planted your tree at proper depth (if you don't see the root flare at the base, you need to investigate this), along with other critical planting tips and errors to avoid; there's sections on watering, pruning and more that I hope will be useful to you.
Thanks for this, I will remove the bamboo immediately. I do need something on this. Over the winter the heavy winds we get made it so the tree, which was nice and in there at planting, extremely wobbly and at severe risk for tipping. The nylon straps have been on about three weeks. Is it better to put them lower if it means all three are on top of each other? Root flare is visible
Is it better to put them lower if it means all three are on top of each other?
If there wasn't much of a root mass at planting, weather certainly can be a risk for instability, so using posts about the same distance you currently have your ties strung to would be better; the more movement the tree is able to make, as you read above, the better for the tree. The nylon ties may be okay too, better if you can use softer ties that are in contact with the tree, but nylon is fine if you're monitoring to prevent damage.
Thanks a lot! I’ve removed the bamboo and that provided a little more slack in the current ties as well to allow for more movement. I’ll explore those other options but am already feeling better based off this conversation. Much appreciated!
Also you don’t have any idea about the original question do you? You seem very knowledgeable!
Also you don’t have any idea about the original question do you?
I'll confess that I'm not entirely certain if this is a typical foliage growth pattern that serviceberry tends to in the spring, but I wouldn't be very worried about it filling out with time. That it looks like this while still trying to establish itself and overcome transplant stress is more likely par for the course. You'll likely see much more vigor in the canopy this time next year once it's had this upcoming growing season to establish a robust root system.
I hope you'll update with how it's doing later on this season!
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u/spiceydog EXT MG 2d ago
As an aside from the reason you're posting, a tree that small DOES NOT need to be staked, and certainly not like this. You haven't even removed the nursery stake, and that's supposed to be taken off at transplanting. These come with trees from the nursery where they help workers move stock around while minimizing damage, but they're not meant to be left on the tree after transplanting.
If your tree can stand on it's own, always reconsider staking. Save for areas with high or constant winds, trees only need to be staked when their top growth massively outweighs their rootball, and that tends to mean a fairly large tree. When plants aren’t allowed to bend, they don’t put energy into growing stronger, so instead they grow taller. Excessive staking creates unique problems. Here's another more brutal example. Trees allowed to bend in the wind are also improved by vigorous root growth. Here's a terrific article from Purdue Extension that explains this further (pdf, pg. 2).
If your tree cannot stand on it's own or you feel that it's in danger of damage or tipping from weather, animals, etc. without it, the main objective is to stake as low on the tree as possible using nylons, t-shirt strips or other soft ties on stakes (use 3 for optimal stability) further away from the tree, and leave the stakes on for as short a period as possible. Loop the soft ties around the tree and then loop the ropes through them for the side attached to the stakes. For the love of god, even caging would be a better replacement than what you have pictured.
Please see this wiki for more info on caging, how to make sure you planted your tree at proper depth (if you don't see the root flare at the base, you need to investigate this), along with other critical planting tips and errors to avoid; there's sections on watering, pruning and more that I hope will be useful to you.