Tree Staking: Do's and Don'ts

Previously Aired: (3/28 & 29/1992) #1837
Former OKG host, Steve Dobbs, addresses the do's and don'ts of staking trees.

[@userhandle1234]

"Trees dont really heal themselves when they are damaged. They just cover up that damage. And that's from a process called compartmentalization." Same.

[@luisparedes5797]

My name is Mike Berouki and I've been planting for over 18 years Awesome video...

[@daviddave7392]

I'm planting and staking some 5-6' saplings and this video has been quite helpful.

[@michaeldougfir9807]

I have been an arborist since the 1980s. And I want to say I really like this video. I will refer people to it for part of their tree education. Thank you!

[@OKGardeningClassics]

Glad you enjoyed it, and we appreciate your referral! Be sure to check out our other channel Oklahoma Gardening for the latest episodes!

[@erikp2004]

Excellent video. Non-stop good info.

[@kraptastic333]

Can slice one side of a pool noodle and cover the wire and stake with the pool noodle for safety. Thank you for the clearly explained tips!

[@murdyshouse]

Thank you for the tips.

[@JP-sm4kz]

Very Informative, Thanks!

[@lrx54]

My birch trees are reaching for the sun. I will use the garden hose idea. Thank You!

[@jremeee1599]

very helpful. thanks!

[@parmend2001]

I have a young Red oak tree and that was just planted about a year ago and The bottom of the trunk is straight but the tree starts to kind of candy cane around the middle to the top how would I straighten this out? The tree already has a bamboo stick on it, should I tie some straps to it to straighten it out on one side or will that hurt the tree.

[@jennhoff03]

THAT'S what's sticking out of this tree at my church! A rubber hose bent in half! I've been wondering that for about a decade. Someone must have waited too long and then taken out the wire and stakes but the hose is part of the tree now. Gaaa.

[@pamelah6431]

It's ubiquitous.

[@werquantum]

I have Drake Elm that I planted as an 8-foot splint about 18 months ago. It has been leaning for about a year. Is it ok to stake it-and risk putting constant pressure on the trunk?

[@spideywhiplash]

How despicable. They go thru all the trouble to use those turn hooks on those beautiful trees but then drill I hooks into the trunks. Thanks for your advice.

[@Miguel195211]

I agree. Those hooks into the tree looked terrible.

[@CharlesKnaack]

NEVER EVER use a T-post near a tree unless to knock off the underground cross plate on it before pounding it in. If you fail to knock off the cross-post, roots will grow OVER the crosspiece. The result is the post is trapped there forever, or the roots and tree are damaged in removing the post. Also never put a T-post close and tire it to the tree directly.

[@jaynefinley]

Wow, thank you Charles for the good advice. Your description was easy to understand and very helpful. I had never thought about the roots trapping the underground T. 😊

[@Sam-tg4ii]

3:41 that is the most stupid thing I have ever seen. That's like trying to prevent a house fire by flooding it first

[@jennhoff03]

I know, it hurt my soul!

[@daviddave7392]

I can't believe they would do that when t-posts would have been common sense. I like using Deeproot Arbortie material with their Arborknot that allows for trunk expansion.

[@motordar]

Those steaks being low could be the death of you if you trip and fall

[@sab249]

Great video but was this filmed in the 70s?

[@bt9124]

Yes and he is a lovely Walton?

[@bc3350]

I've never seen those metal supports on huge trees before. Do they remove them after a few years or what? Better off just planting a smaller size i think or go, if you're really desperate for size, with a caliper that has a bag - the bag will help stabilize it a lot.

[@pamelah6431]

Leaving the bag on can rot the trunk.

[@bc3350]

@@pamelah6431 The "bag" is metal skeleton with burlap and contains the rootball. As such it can't be removed... but roots can still penetrate the burlap and expand.

[@pamelah6431]

@@bc3350 thought you were referring to a water bag, which people set on the trunk and forget about. Never heard anybody refer to the wire basket for the root ball as a "bag" before. I always cut as much of the burlap off as possible and bend the wire basket back, too.

[@bc3350]

@@pamelah6431 Yeah i understand the confusion, poor choice of words i guess on my part. Personaly i dont like planting callipers (the burlap will eventually rot away but the steel skeleton wont and can't be good for the environment at all). Not to mention they're very hard to work with trying to get straight. Blah, just plant a 15 or 20 inch pot imo.

[@pamelah6431]

@@bc3350 I prefer potted over b&b for most things, too,but mainly because of the weight difference. The burlap takes a very long time to break down and acts like a wick in the meantime. I work hard to cut as much off as possible. What really pains me to see is people who don't bother removing the twine and leave the plant to choke to death. Totally ignorant. I see it way too much.

[@Cologneswag]

Missing how to tie/twist the wire..

[@cream2390]

You overlap the wire at the point you want it to start and twist with two hands or you can clamp that overlap with pliers and twist a few times.

[@pamelah6431]

Same way you close your twist-tie on bread bag.

[@earlrussell1026]

You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. You must love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus the anointed is Lord! Repent and be baptized and believe the Gospel.

[@cliffhanley2120]

Richard Russell Hello, Richard. Do you believe God knows our actions in advance of us carrying them out?

[@pamelah6431]

​@@cliffhanley2120 Yahweh, aka Jehovah, is omniscient. Yes, He knows everything, He knows the end from the beginning.