Best method of staking tall trees (15 ft)

Our soil up here is heavy clay and we also get strong winds. Our community is 10 years old with the newest homes being about 5 years old. The trees vary from 2 to 10 years old.

Almost all the trees here are still staked, usually with two lodge poles per tree. My next door neighbor has a 15 foot tall Chinese Elm. He took his poles out a year ago and the tree started going over last winter. We were both out there in the windstorm securing the tree with ropes and stakes. Afterwards, his gardener put 4 lodge poles around his tree. Two days ago we had fierce winds again and the ties snapped from the poles. This time they were on a cruise so I was out there alone trying to restrain the tree. I did secure everything but the tree is listing about 5 to 10 degrees. The reason the straps snapped were they were the thing plastic type more suitable for securing vines. I could stretch the plastic straps with my bare hands.

One of my lodge poles rotted off at ground level and snapped in this same storm. I re-installed it...just barely. Now I'm wondering what the best choice is. These lodge poles are rotting and breaking after only 4 years.

I've searched the web and found a variety of supports. One was the single tree support system that uses a steel pipe that screws into the ground. Another method was a guying system. Another one was called an "invisible system". It consisted of four 4 foot long stakes placed in a square pattern around the tree and two boards laid horizontally and screwed to the stakes. Not sure how well it would work in our area.

Any opinions or experience with these options?

We always use the guying system using 3 stakes with 3 ropes equally spaced around the tree. We slide a piece of hose over each rope and place it where the ropes touch the tree to prevent rubbing the bark off. A lower branch will keep the ropes from sliding down. We get a lot of wind here also, so we leave the system in place for several years. You can buy metal stakes that screw into the ground and have a eye on top to accommodate the rope. You will have to adjust the system as the tree gets taller. Keep it about two-thirds up the tree. This works for us, but someone else may have a better idea.

The method pastime mentioned is probably the most practical. It's how most trees are staked here on the Coast except some folks will use four per tree rather than three. We get a lot of strong winds off the Gulf.

I think you would laugh to see the condition of the lodgepole stakes here in our area.

Many are criss-crossing the tree.

Some have no ties from the pole to the tree.

Some the trees have about a four to six inch trunk which makes me think the tree is holding up the stakes.

Yet the owner must feel that they are better than nothing.

Many still have the nursery stakes strapped to the tree even after five years. Maybe eventually the stakes will rot.


"Beam me up Scotty. There's no intelligent life down here."

Anyone familiar with the brand Arborbrace? Their website is http://www.treestaking.com/treeguying.htm

Your method sounds like a good way. I have two questions:

1. Do you angle the stakes back from the direction of the ropes? It would seem that would help from pullout.

2. You said to keep the rope up about two-thirds of the tree height. My trees are around 12 to 15 foot tall. That would put the ropes at 8 to 10 foot up. That's a few feet higher than the first crotch. I would guess right now the ties are about half way up. Also, I assume that you would have the ropes coming down at a 45 degree angle. That poses another problem of running the ropes through the shrubs next to the tree.

OK has problems with high winds also.

I use metal T-posts that farmers use for their fences (only cost a few bucks) and drive them into the ground. I use 3 or 4. The rope I use is that yellow twisted plastic rope that water skiiers use to be towed around on. I cut pieces of old garden hoses and slide the rope through it and place the garden hose pieces against the trunk so the rope doesn't bite into the trunk.

It works. May not be the most pleasing to look at but it is functional.

Dawn

Update: I saved my neighbor's tree. But when he got back from their cruise, he took my fiberglass reinforced straps off and replaced them with....would you believe it? Bungee cords. Hope you can see his "professional" methods in the picture of how to (not) tie a tree to lodge poles. I'm thorougly amazed. Bungee cords. Oh yeah he also has clothes line wire around one post with braided metal strands around the tree. He is protecting the posts from damage though.

Maybe you all can learn a thing or two from this.

This message was edited May 22, 2010 7:40 PM

Here's the same tree taken at a different angle. Notice too that he has tied to one of the branches instead of the trunk.

Ha!!!!!!!

You can't help some folks.

greatswede - I feel positively PROFESSIONAL about my attempt now!

The American Horticultural Society recommends short rather than tall stakes less than one-third of the tree's height. This is to allow a little free movement which helps to strengthen the trunk.

Of course, there are exceptions. But in our area, there seems to be just one practice and it looks wrong after doing research on this subject. I believe trees need good staking for the first couple of years until it has a root system. Then they can be "weaned off" needing staking. My trees have been in from two to five years now.

This past week, I have shortened my lodge poles to about one-third the height of my trees. It felt risky but it makes sense that trees need to develop strength in their trunks or else they will always be weak and dependent on staking. I plan on keeping them staked another year and then maybe taking the stakes out.

This information is from the book "Pruning and Training" from the AHS, page 23. It is a very helpful book on pruning as well. Good illustrations!

This message was edited Jun 3, 2010 3:10 PM

I've used and recommend bicycle tire inner-tube as it is flexible, doesn't cut into the bark and is readily available.

I don't own a bicycle so it isn't readily available. To buy a new inner-tube and cut it up into segments wouldn't be cost effective.

But it would work well.

This is an update on my neighbor's amazing skills at tree staking.

Last summer, he had a gardener place cables to anchor this tree. Unfortunately, the gardener didn't put a cable on the north side of the tree and when we got north winds the tree started leaning to the south.

But, never fear! "Mr. Bungee" came to the rescue. As you can see at the bottom of the tree is a bungee cord securely holding the tree against any fierce north wind that should ever come our way. You can also notice that the bungee is placed at ground level to gain the maximum mechanical advantage.

And you thought you knew how to anchor trees. HAH!

Thank you- I was looking for one more entertaining thread before leaving the computer tonight. This did it! I would no more tie my tree like he did, than tie my KID up like that.