Written by s • How To Stake A Tree

To stake or not to stake, that indeed is the question. Once upon a time everyone carefully staked every tree when it was planted, but today the experts tell us that often it is not necessary, or even desirable. Although staking can seem like a good idea, it can cause future problems for your tree. Sometimes it is needed and there are some ‘ and don’ts’ when it comes to staking that can make all the difference to the success of your tree planting.

The True Reason For Staking

Most people think that a stake is needed to keep a tree upright and protect it from breaking in the wind, but this is not true. A healthy tree will always keep itself upright and in fact, if the lower part is held rigidly by a stake there is more, not less chance of the upper part breaking in a storm. The real reason to stake is to hold the roots steady so that the tree can quickly send out new roots and attach itself into the ground.

If the roots move around after planting, the delicate new ones that grow out will not be able to anchor themselves in the soil, so your tree will be slow to establish and could die before it does. This is mostly a problem when planting bare-root trees, since there is no root-ball to give weight and anchor the tree in the ground. So bare-root trees should definitely be staked when being planted.

For other trees, when you are putting back the soil, make sure you firm it down well with your feet. After you have finished planting, take hold of the trunk half way up and gently rock the tree. If you can’t see any movement at ground level, you don’t need to stake your tree at all. The natural movement of the stem will stimulate the tree to grow a thicker trunk and hold itself up. Trees are not known for their brains, so if you stake a tree so the trunk cannot move, the tree will ‘think’ it has a strong trunk and send out lots of new shoots at the top. If you then remove the stake, as you must eventually, the trunk will be too weak to hold the top and it could easily break. The longer you leave the stake attached, the more likely this is to happen.

How to Stake a Tree

If there is some movement at ground level, or you are planting a bare-root tree, then staking is necessary. If planting in a very windy location, staking can help prevent loosening of the roots after planting. Remember, we only want to hold the roots steady, so you don’t need a tall stake. Take hold of the stem low down and move your hand up until the top of the tree is straight. That is the place where you need to attach the tie – don’t worry, it may only be a foot above the ground.

Take two strong wooden stakes. Allow at least 18 inches to go into the ground and about six inches above where you are going to place the tie. Drive the stakes into the ground outside the root-ball, one on either side of the tree. If you have a strong prevailing wind, put the stakes in the same direction as the wind blows. Use broad reinforced rubber belting, not rope, to secure the tree and it should have some stretch in it. Attach the belting to one post with nails; then pass it behind the tree and around the other post. While pulling it tight make a double twist around the strap, pass it in front of the tree and make another double twist before attaching it back to the first post with more nails. The tree should be able to move slightly and the strap should not be twisted around the trunk.

Remove the belting at the beginning of the tree’s second growing season. The stakes can be left in as a reminder to keep mowers and trimmers away from the trunk. Never use a string trimming close to a tree trunk, as it can damage the bark and cause permanent serious injury to a young tree.

So we have gone past all the old tree straps, rope, wire, hose-pipe and other systems that held trees rigidly against a heavy post. Now we allow the tree some movement and an opportunity to grow naturally, with just a gentle helping hand from us.

Comments 26 comments

October 14, 2016 by Shannon Jordan

I have a mature white dogwood about 35-40 years old that sustained wind and water damage last week in Hurricane Matthew. At the end , it has about a guesstimate of about 20-25degree tilt on one side with the ground raised on the opposite side w/o roots exposed. I hate to lose it, is there any hope in saving it and how? I really love it and will miss it! If you can’t say how, do you know of a source?

October 27, 2016 by David Goodfellow

Hi Shannon,
This should not be hard to fix, and I don’t think you will lose the tree. You say the roots are not exposed, so that is a good thing. What you need to do is this. First, loosen the soil in the lifted area, and dig out some soil between the roots. Now, if your tree has a strong central trunk, wrap the upper part of the trunk – just below where the branches come out, in several thickness of sheet foam, bubble wrap, or pieces of styrofoam – anything that will protect the bark from pressure. Tie a strong rope around the trunk. If there are several trunks coming from low down on the tree you will need to do this for the two or three main ones. Now find a group of strong men – or a pickup with a careful driver, and pull the tree into an upright position. Secure the rope (or put the brake on the truck) to hold the tree in place. You may need to do this gradually, removing soil and pushing down the roots as you go.
Once the tree is upright, put back all the soil, pushing the roots as deep as you can and firming the soil as you go.

Finally, again using something soft to protect the bark, attach two ropes or wires to the trunk, set at an angle of about 90 degrees to each other, and attach them to two long stakes driven at an angle away from the tree into the ground. You might need to put wire strainers on the wires to get them nice and tight. Remove the rope you used to pull the tree upright and you should be all set. Leave these lines in place for two years, then remove them and everything should be back to normal. Oh, one more thing, don’t tie the final wires tight around the bark, or you may damage it during the two years they are attached. One way is to thread that section through a piece of old hosepipe to protect the bark and give the wire a grip at the same time.

May 28, 2018 by Bob Degrand

I have a 2 year old 5ft Lilac Korean Dwarf tree with a very unusually thin trunk. It is exposed to an open area that receives extreme wind gusts. It is top heavy with a beautiful crown of foliage which causes extreme bending during heavy wind gusts. I know it will snap sooner or later under 30-40 mph wind gusts. I understand your article against tie downs, so my thought is to place a small rubber tube around the upper base branch, just under the crown, to prevent the tube from slipping down….However, leave enough slack to allow movement and root stability…so, once the storm gusts happen, the slack will tighten as the tree starts to bend heavily. (Like having a dog on a leash that tightens when the dog suddenly sees a squirrel) Your thoughts?

May 28, 2018 by David Goodfellow

These standard trees are a bit of a special case, and can need permanent staking. They are artificial, in that the top has been grafted onto a stem, not grown up naturally, so the graft-union is a persistent weak point. Even old plants can snap in a storm. For these trees, the points about building the trunk don’t necessarily apply, and sometimes the best approach is a sturdy, permanent stake going up into the crown, securely tied. If the grower didn’t choose the variety for the stem carefully, it may never thicken enough. There is nothing wrong with your tree in using a permanent stake – perhaps one of those square wooden ones. Just check the ties once a year to make sure they don’t cut into the wood as the stem and branches thicken. If your tree is exposed to strong winds, as you say, then I think a permanent strong stake is the safest. Just make sure it goes up into the crown, and is attached up there at least once, not just on the trunk. Enjoy your tree.

June 13, 2019 by George Weires

What is the best way to stake Queen Crape Myrtles in a hurricane area where winds are 80 to 125 MPH.

June 13, 2019 by Dave G

Well, as pointed out in the blog, staking can be counterproductive, and in high winds I think breakage would be almost certain if you staked the trunk high. It might seem illogical, but I would seriously suggest not staking at all, except for a very low stake to keep the root ball stable for the first year after planting. Don’t prune either, except to remove crowded branches, and to keep the growth open. A dense head will be more likely to blow over, since the wind can’t pass through it. Also, pruning will encourage long, soft shoots, which will break more easily. Dead-head to remove the weight of seed heads. The goal should be an open tree, with sturdy branches. Good luck – sounds a bit of a challenge!

December 29, 2020 by Pamela W

I planted a couple of dwarf apple trees two years ago without doing proper research and I did not stake them at the time of planting. Is it too late? Is there a secret to doing it now without damaging the roots? I now know that the rootstock on them “requires” staking. Should I do it and risk the damage to the roots since they will probably break without it anyway? Thanks for any advice.

December 30, 2020 by Dave G

Any damage to the roots you might do by driving in a stake will be minimal, and unimportant. Since this is permanent, make sure you use an iron stake, not a piece of wood that will rot in 5 years. Scrape back the soil a little, so that you can see the directions of any major roots that might be growing outwards. Put the stake between them, if you find any, not into them. Drive the stake well down – you want long-term stability. That is the only ‘secret’. Good luck and don’t worry.

December 24, 2021 by Dee Wilson

I have thuya Smaragd 90 6ft trees to be planted how do I stake them as I live on top of a hill the wind can be very strong at times, I have bought stakes but am not sure if I should put the stake in the front of side of the trees, could you please give me some advice.
Thank you
Dee wilson

December 24, 2021 by davethetreecenter

If they are potted trees, and well-established in the pots, I wouldn’t stake them at all. Just firm the root-balls down well, using your feet, and they will be fine. Staking can discourage strong root development and encourage spindly growth, so you can easily get more breakage, not less, in the future. If you still feel you want to stake, place the stake on the side of the prevailing wind, in front, not between the trees, tie it firmly but with a big loop, not tight all around the bark. Tie low down, about a foot from the ground, not high up, and take the stake out no later than spring, 2023. Hope that helps – and I hope you have help, planting that many!

May 4, 2022 by Mylene Im

Thanks for the article. I planted a Thuja occidentalis in my front SW facing garden that continues to be affected by the strong wind here. I just came back from a month long vacation and found it with a nearly 40 degree lean…how should I go about staking a tree like this? The roots are exposed on one side

May 4, 2022 by davethetreecenter

Sounds like you live in a very windy place! At this time of year there will be no problem pulling it back upright again – you should loosen the soil around it with a garden fork, and maybe dig a bit out if you need to. Once it is straight, even out the soil and firm it down well with your feet. Two stakes at 90 degrees to each other, angled on either side of the prevailing wind direction (e.g. if your wind is from the north, put one stake to the north-east, and one to the north-west), arranged as discussed in this article, should do the trick of keeping it upright until it becomes thoroughly established. I suggest strong, angle-iron steel stakes, driven in at an angle against the wind, will be needed, and strong nylon straps to hold the tree. Maybe a little burlap around the trunk, loosely, to protect the bark. If there is wind from multiple directions, then three stakes, with 120 degrees between each one, would be best.

May 18, 2022 by Susan

We’ve just planted seven 4′ Leyland Cypresses in an east to west row to become a privacy screen. We have a strong wind from the southwest that comes up every afternoon (plus wind off the river across the road). Should we stake for the wind and if so, how many per tree?

May 19, 2022 by davethetreecenter

No, at that size – and presumably they were in pots – it is far better to let them cope from the beginning. Staking in this situation will just increase, not decrease, the risk of them blowing over when you eventually remove the stakes.

September 16, 2022 by Pamela Manross

I have a dwarf weeping cherry that I put in six years ago. It has a definite lean. Given that it is not a young tree, will it be harmful to stake it now? If staking is an option, how can I do this safely and effectively?

September 17, 2022 by davethetreecenter

Should be possible without harm. Wait until it is completely dormant this fall, and then do it. Put in 2 stakes, about a foot away from the trunk, making an equal triangle with the direction of the lean (so if the lean was due west, the stakes would be north-east and south-east)Then put three soft ties (pieces of hosepipe are good, with a rope through them), or tree straps, one at the bottom, one in the middle and one just below where the weeping branches are joined to the trunk. You will probably need to use a spade about 18 inches from the trunk on the side of the lean to cut through some roots so you can shift it upright – it’s OK if you have to do that. You could also do it in stages, gradually tightening the ties until the trunk if upright, over maybe 6 months, depending on how resistant to straightening it actually is.
Hope that helps.

October 28, 2022 by Clark Starr

We have a 12′ Aspen that is leaning a bit. We planted it two years ago. It feels strongly rooted (pushing on it there is little give). I’m unsure if we should try to get it more upright.

October 29, 2022 by davethetreecenter

Has it been leaning since you planted it? Was it like this in spring, after last winter? Could the ground be shifting/sinking? Is it just leaning towards the light, with very one-sided sun exposure? If the position is out in the open, maybe you have a strong prevailing wind, and that is something you can’t change. If it has only recently started leaning, then you could put a broad soft tie and use a rope to ease it back. You might need to cut through roots a bit on the opposite side while it is dormant, and then fill that space back in, once it is straight. It is also possible that if you planted it with a big root ball it wasn’t evenly back filled, so the weight of the ball has shifted it. On the other hand, you could just leave it, as it will probably straighten a bit over time, especially if it is leaning towards the north or east.

May 1, 2023 by Kim

We have at 15′ coastal live oak tree planted 4-5 years ago. It blew to a 60 degree angle during a big storm recently. We were able to partially get it upright again with pushing on it and packing in new soil/dirt, but it continues to lean again with each storm. Should we stake it temporarily or try to dig down and get it more vertical?

May 2, 2023 by davethetreecenter

Are you right on the coast? If you are, I don’t think, despite its name, that this is a tree that is especially storm resistant. I am wondering why it keeps blowing over. . . Is it in shallow soil over rock? is it planted in hard ground, so that the roots have not spread out? Has it grown (with trimming?) to have a solid, dense crown, which presents a solid surface to the wind? Is it in a wind tunnel between buildings? For stability a tree needs a deep and wide root system, so there must be ground for the roots to spread into. It must have been large when planted, if its 15 feet in 4 years, so maybe it just never grew out of the root ball it had when it was planted. With the constant shifting it isn’t going to be able to establish firm roots. So you need to stabilize it, so it isn’t shifting around all the time. That means two ties from the main part of the trunk, at 90 degrees to each other, placed against the prevailing wind. Once the trunk is secured, vertical and solid, you might consider removing some branches so that the crown is more open, so the wind can pass through. If you have to do a lot of digging around it to get it stable, then this might not be the best time – maybe September would be better,and roots tend to develop a lot over winter.

May 21, 2023 by Trudy

I have a 15ft Maple we played last summer. The trunk is pretty thin and bows to a 45degree angle with a light breeze. The tree seems to lean under its own weight. The roots seem pretty solid, just the height of the tree and the thinness of the truck appear to be the problem. Is there a way to beef up the trunk or stake it? Or should we let it do it’s thing?

May 22, 2023 by davethetreecenter

I would do two things. First of all I am thinking that the top is probably very bushy and full, right? I would thin out the crown – you will obviously need a tall ladder or platform to do that, so work safely! Remove all the crowded internal branches, leaving a balance arrangement of branches with open angles between them – picture a mature tree, how the branches radiate out and are not touching each other. See if that makes a significant difference. If not, then also shorten back by about 25% the remaining branches. It might look pretty thin by this stage, but don’t worry, it will soon fill out again.
If it still isn’t standing upright, the next step is to take hold of the trunk and hold it, moving upwards until it no longer bows over. Don’t go any higher than needed. Mark the spot with a touch of paint or a ribbon. Now drive two stakes on either side of the trunk, at right angles to the direction of the prevailing wind, if you know that. Put them about two feet away from the base. Now secure the tree between the two stakes, at the point you marked, with broad ties, either proper tree straps or a length of old hosepipe, looped around like a figure of eight but with an extra loop in it, and with the tree in the middle. Don’t use any fertilizer, that will just encourage leaves. Leave it tied for a year and then try taking it away. If the tree stand upright now, no more need for a tie. If it still isn’t strong, leave it another year.

July 6, 2023 by Belinda

I have three two year old Tonto Crape Myrtles one on the end is smaller and is leaning and really leans after a storm. They are on the side of the house so strong gust come down that way. We live in Georgia, we get heavy windy thunderstorms. I took the stakes off as advices after year one. But this one CM looks like it needs to be staked again. When I move it, the bottom seems very wiggly so wonder if the root ball as loosened. Should I stake it if so with a three prong stake or can I drive a wood stake on the side it is leaning and stake it that way? Thank you so much for your advice.

July 6, 2023 by davethetreecenter

Yes, it sounds like you have a loose root-ball, which is going to prevent the tree from establishing properly, and could lead to it falling over completely in one of your storms. There is a method of staking that protects the root-ball, while allowing the stem to grow naturally, which is best, as this makes for a strong, self-supporting trunk. There is another blog on our site on this subject, and how to do this type of staking. Follow the directions, and your tree should be safe and should thrive. See ‘Why We Stake Trees‘.
Of course, it may be that this one tree, being at the end, is affected by a wind-tunnel, and may simply be exposed to too much extreme wind, but try this first and see if it does better. I think that once the root-ball is firm the trunk is going to naturally straighten over a few years, but if it doesn’t you could attach two ropes a short way into the crown, take them to the ground in the direction the wind come from, angled about 45 degrees apart, and straighten it that way. Give it a couple of years like that, and then release the ropes. But secure that root-ball first.