This Girdle is Killing Me!

I was shopping at a big box store this weekend.  When I parked the car, I noticed something very troubling.  The facility received a landscape remodel several years ago, however, no one had been instructed to remove the straps used to secure the trees when they were planted.  Now, all these years later, the straps where girdling (restricting) the tree.

You can see the tree is actually skinnier below the straps than above.

(Note:  I spoke with store management and he indicated he would talk to the gardeners.)

With fall comes a perfect time of year to plant young trees into your landscape.  Conventional wisdom has changed over the years regarding supporting trees when planting.  I would encourage homeowners to consult their local extension cooperative to determine best practices for your area of the country.

With that said, a tree grows a stronger root system and develops trunk taper when the tree is staked properly.  A little movement when the wind blows can be a good thing.  Remember to remove the straps once the tree can stand on its own.

UCCE Master Gardeners has a good page to consult.

Staking Trees, Part II

I wrote earlier about proper tree staking. While traveling, I saw this attractive example of a tree being staked. While it is a very attractive example, you would definitely not want to let this rope remain too long as to strangle the growing tree.

Staking a Newly Planted Tree

Two Stakes Help Tree Acclimate Better than One Stake

(Example of proper tree staking)
I had three trees installed in a garden renovation a few years ago. Two of them have done well and have become nicely established in the garden. One, however, has failed to thrive. When trying to remove the stake which the landscapers left to help it get established, I discovered it is top heavy and lists to one side.

After doing a little research, I discovered that current convention is to use two stakes with webbing configured as a figure 8 to secure the tree. The idea is to get the wind to rustle through the canopy, the tree to sway in the wind with tree growing stong.

I think this might be part of my tree's problem. I also think the landscapers might not have released the roots when they planted it. We are going to try to excavate a little to see if we can determine if the roots are just circling around instead of spreading out.