Sunday, July 7, 2013

How to Stake Up a New Tree In a Winded Area

Fig 1 Stakes tree
By Gary Boutin

Supplies and Tools:
Commercial scissors
Fence post driver
Mallet  
Staple gun with staples
Hose and wire tree ties
Webbing or polyethylene strips
Wooden stake-2 

Mr. Jim lives in the High Desert of the San Bernardino Mountains, in town called Joshua Tree. In the early afternoon the winds are so strong that it may easily pull down mature tree. He asked me to plant his new tree in the front yard. At the time twenty new trees were already been planted and these new tree just needed to be staked. 

This post shows the four steps to secure a new tree.

It important to understand what it means to stake a tree. According to the Definition web site Random House Webster's College Dictionary; the noun (n.) stake is a stick or post pointed at one end for driving into the ground as a boundary mark, part of a fence, support, etc. 

Step 1: Find two stakes  for the tree. Lot of Warehouse stores try to sell the 1x2 or the 2x2 stakes made of Douglas fir. These wood stakes are not strong enough to handle a tree, maybe a plastic sign. Our local warehouse store called The home Depot has rounded wood stakes for a reasonable price of $4 each. The stakes are made of Mendocino treated tree stake are 92 inches (7.666 ft) which are extremely strong for handling trees in a high wind area. Fig.2 shows the tree is staked up and ready for the environment.
Fig.2 Wrapped 
in rubber tie
Step 2: A fence post driver can easily picked up for $20. Post driver makes the difference in pushing the stake into the ground. Fig.3 shows a metal mallet that could be used to hammer the wooden stakes into the ground can cause injuries. For most trees: the stake should be one-third of the height of the tree. 
Fig.2 Metal sledge

Step 3: Hose and wire tree ties is the last step needed to tie down the tree to the wooden stakes. Apply the tie on the tree first then attach the two ends to the pole, repeat the same steps on the other side. Some systems use nails to hold the wire ties on the wooden post. If this is going to be the choice remember to pre-drilled the post before applying the metal screw otherwise the post will split. It an extra step that can save a lot of new post and yet be strong enough to hold the ties in place. 
Step 4: Just remember that this is a temporary choice until the tree is strong enough to handle the winds. The choice of staking is to give the tree trunk a chance instead of breaking off in the wind. 



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Note: The DIY Advisor assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any jobs. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed contractor if in doubt about any steps on these posts. All names were changed to protect client's privacy. DIY Advisor. Reproduction of site content including photos without permission prohibited. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2011-

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