staking arborviate?? what is your ideas.

[sildoc]

What have you found to be the best way of staking arborviate? I have 3 9' arborviate to plant for a customer but the area is a funnel area for wind. I need to stake these ones and am looking for your ideas that I may have not thought of. Thanks in advance.

[Avery]

Sub-surface "cage" for the rootball out of 2X4's. Hard to explain but it is like an upside down U. Use two of them for each tree. We have used this method before on high end jobs to do away with unsightly above ground stakes.

[BCSteel]

Sub-surface "cage" for the rootball out of 2X4's. Hard to explain but it is like an upside down U. Use two of them for each tree. We have used this method before on high end jobs to do away with unsightly above ground stakes.

Good idea :cool:

[Neal Wolbert]

What's going to happen with the new roots in the cage? Sounds counter productive to me, especially if the cage is not removed. If you remove the burlap or pot, gently wash the soil off the roots, redirect the roots to grow out and not in a circle and then use a "mudding in" technique with native soil and water for planting you may not have to stake at all. If you do have to stake just one is all you will need and then for a very short time. That method is explained on the ISA website "treesaregood.com", I believe.

[Neal Wolbert]

sildoc...I just checked treesaregood.com and they don't have the latest root washing technique on the site yet. They do, however, endorse the method and you will hear lots more about it in the future. I see they recommend two opposing stakes but, like I said, with the root washing method the planting is much more secure than slamming a b&b in the ground and expect it to stand while it develops roots...maybe I should say if it develops roots. The method takes more time but you can expect the plants to thrive, not just survive. I didn't mention when you wash the nursery soil or pot media off you can see the roots and prune off any girdling or circling roots or any damaged or adventitious roots that have grown on the stem above the crown flare. Of course you want to plant it so you can see the first real roots flaring out from the stem, often several inches below the level of soil in a b&b or pot when you buy it. Planting any deeper than the flare or first real roots will open the door for problems down the road and most likely lead to failure because of stress. Neal

[sildoc]

Thanks for the input. The stakes are not a problem. That is what the homeowner is actually expecting is for it to be staked. Good ideas though and will probably use those mentioned alot more. My problem is on the arbs is that there are no major trunk lines to really stake to. I really dont like the idea that the local nursery guy mentioned of just roping the entire arb. I feel that would cause too much damage. Keep the ideas coming. Thanks neil and avery for your input.

[Avery]

What's going to happen with the new roots in the cage? Sounds counter productive to me, especially if the cage is not removed. If you remove the burlap or pot, gently wash the soil off the roots, redirect the roots to grow out and not in a circle and then use a "mudding in" technique with native soil and water for planting you may not have to stake at all. If you do have to stake just one is all you will need and then for a very short time. That method is explained on the ISA website "treesaregood.com", I believe.

The "cage" rots away. Like I said it is hard to explain how it looks/works. There is nothing there to hinder the roots. It is also much better for the tree than staking. I have been at this game a long time. I know what works and what does not.

[AGLA]

We have never had any problems staking arbs. You just need to be careful to take in more than one leader and from the opposite side than the stake. Almost like wrapping the whole thing, but more like the whole structure inside rather than structure and foliage. Washing the roots will weaken the anchor to the ground on the short term. I would definitely not do that. Arbs have a tighter denser root system than most conifers and hold their ball pretty well. That adds mass to the plant which is important in high winds.

[treedoc1]

www.deeproot.com for arbor tie. We have converted completely to this product...it eliminates hose and wire and supports the individual trunks without damage. A simple superior cost effective system in my opinion.

[Critical Care]

Securing the root ball with a “cage” is an interesting idea. I’ve seen a number of tipped over trees that may of benefited from this, however on the other hand it seems that once you cage the root ball then you’re pretty well stuck with what you’ve got. If the tree begins to lean a bit, such as from the wind, then you may be right back at square one having to stake the tree.

In this area, arborvitaes have a major problem holding up to the weight of snow. They tend to lose their columnar shape and branches are bent outward. People aren’t thinking when they plant them. They commonly plant them right next to their homes where the snow slides off of their roofs. Not good.

[Coffeecraver]

I posted this a while ago maybe you did not see it.

Staking

While staking a tree at planting time is occasionally done in home landscapes, it is more common in commercial and public plantings that have staking included in the installation specifications. In some cases staking is intended to protect young trees from vandalism and accidental physical injury... from car doors and fenders or errant shopping carts. Staking is also often done to protect trees from falling over in the wind or to support trees that aren’t strong enough to stand up straight by themselves.

In the past, tree staking was believed to be important in helping a tree become established in a landscape. However, over the last 20 years research has indicated that staking often hurts a tree more than it helps. Here are problems with staking trees and their solutions:

Staked trees, especially those improperly staked, tend to develop smaller root systems and thinner trunks as well as growing taller than trees that aren’t staked. The movement of the tree trunk in the wind stimulates plant hormones that in turn stimulate root and trunk growth. When a tree is staked in a manner that prevents any movement of the trunk, the tree doesn’t establish and grow as strong. This is why young trees that are staked, are often unable to stand upright when the staking is removed.


Solution: Don’t stake a tree unless it’s needed. Usually, trees less than six feet tall or trees less than one inch in diameter won’t need support staking. Staking may be needed with larger trees, especially when the top of tree is out of proportion to the root ball or when the tree is planted in a windy site or on sandy soil.

When a tree must be staked, use two sturdy stakes, such as 2x2 wood posts, placed outside the root ball. They should be situated so that the trunk is allowed to move with the prevailing winds. Stakes should be driven 18 inches or so into the ground.

Staking may also be needed when you buy a tree with a weak trunk that can’t stand upright without support. Personally, I would avoid trees with these weak trunks and you should too. Staking may also be needed in public areas to protect against physical injury or vandalism.

The old standard of wire or plastic twine inside pieces of garden hose can cause damage to the bark and trunk tissues. These materials often cut into the bark and girdle the tree as it grows in girth, especially when not removed the first year or two after planting. Just look around at some of the commercial landscapes in our area that were planted within the last five years. You will no doubt find wire or other tying materials still securing the tree to the stakes, or at least still tied to the tree trunk. They may already be restricting growth and transport of water and nutrients up and down the trunk.


Solution: Don’t ever use rope, twine, wire, fishing line, or electrical wire to secure a tree to stakes. Use soft materials like wide cloth belting, elastic webbing, wide rubber belts, or even nylon stockings. There are a number of elastic or polyethylene woven ties now available for securing trees to stakes. Ties should be left with sufficient slack to enable the tree to move in the wind, but without rubbing against the stakes or moving the roots.

Whoever is responsible for the care of the staked tree... home owner, landscape manager, or business owner... should periodically inspect tree staking for signs of trouble. They should also start removing the staking as soon as the tree is established... after the first year or two after planting.

Guy wires sometimes used for staking large trees can be a hazard, as well as a nuisance when mowing.


Solution: Use guy wires only on large trees with trunks that are greater than four inches in diameter. Three to four wires are typically used to anchor a large tree. Mark guy wires with bright flagging tape or streamers to let people know that they’re there. Renew this flagging as long as the wires are present.

Sometimes you’ll see trees staked with a single stake. In some cases, the trunk above the tie will grow larger than below the tie... again because of the movement of the trunk. The tree may also bend away from the stake.


Solution: Stake trees with two supports.

:)