When people first started asking me about how to stake their fruit trees, my first question back to them was ‘why do you think you need to stake your trees’? I ask to make them think. It’s true, not all fruit trees need to be supported by stakes. Let’s explore the ins and outs of how to determine if your fruit tree really needs that stake!
What type of Trees Need Support
Full size, mature fruit trees rarely need stakes or support. Imagine that stately apple tree, standing strong out in the middle of that old farm field. You have passed it thousands of times but just realized that tree isn’t staked. Had it ever been staked? Why isn’t it staked? Let’s take a closer look.
Modern orchards use mostly all dwarf rootstock. The rootstock is bred to limit the size of the tree. Using dwarf rootstock enables orchards to keep their fruit trees short and compact. While trees are smaller their full size counterpart, more trees can be planted per acre and yields are increased.
Pick your own orchards prefer the shorter trees as families can easily pick fruit while standing solidly on the ground. Orchards that rely on hand picking also like the dwarf trees. Harvests are much quicker and safer. Dwarf trees eliminate the need to pick from a ladder or a cherry picker.
All that said dwarf trees left to their own devices will fall over, snap their trunk, break branches, and overall try to kill themselves when loaded with fruit. Dwarf trees need to be stakes or supported.
Full sized trees that began leaning early on in their life also need to be supported. Trees that need support often have been wind blown, knocked into by deer or wildlife, or simply planted haphazardly.
Why Stake Your Fruit Tree
Staking a fruit tree can seem unnecessary. Young trees seem so vibrant and full of life, surely they don’t need to be staked. Mature trees have spent years digging their roots deep, how could they need extra support? Let’s explore a few of the reasons why trees get staked.
Dwarf Trees: As we discussed earlier more and more people are planting dwarf trees, especially common in commercial orchards. While the dwarf trees are great for keeping the tree small, they are terrible when it comes to anchoring the tree in the ground.
Dwarf trees trunks and branches will bend or snap under the heavy load of fruit. Trees that aren’t supported by a stake or trellis system typically won’t last more than one harvest year. Trunks will break or trees will tip right over. It’s not uncommon to see dwarf trees loaded with fruit completely ripped out of the ground.
Weather: As we all know trees are similar to post men (and post women). Neither snow, sleet, rain or wind keep them from doing their job. Trees are subject to all the elements Mother Nature throws at them and sometimes they can’t take it all. Heavy winds have brought down many a heathy tree. Sustained winds are enough to bring down an entire tree or badly deform it. Branches and trunks snap under the weight of heavy fruit. Add in high winds and you can lose a lot of trees if they aren’t supported properly.
Water logged soil can be the demise of a slightly leaning tree. Once the soil has become over saturated any lean or overload of fruit can bring your tree to the ground. Snow at the wrong time of year is also known to topple even the best looking fruit trees. While staking your trees isn’t a silver bullet it does provide them extra support against unpredictable weather events!
Damage/Injury: Trees that have pest or wildlife damage are more susceptible to losses. Staking these trees for added protection and support is often the best course of action. Young trees that have been rubbed up against by deer will often need to be straighten or risk it growing slanted the rest of its life.
Trees that have had disease and pest problems pruned off can often become loop sided. These loop sided trees can be compromised once filled with ripening fruit. Staking loop sided fruit trees is essential for the health and survival of the tree.
How to Stake Your Fruit Trees
Now that you have determined if your fruit tree needs to be staked. Let’s talk about how to keep your fruit trees supported.
Single Staking is by far the easiest and most cost effective way for the backyard grower to stake their trees. It is exactly what it sounds like. A single stake is pounded into the ground within a foot or two of your fruit tree. Twine or rope is then looped around the trunk of the tree and tied off against the stake.
For taller trees I tie 2 or 3 lines securing the tree and ensuring it is completely upright. I stay away from wire as it has a tendency to dig into the trunk over time. Wire will last longer so if you are dead set on using it, thread it thru an piece of old garden hose. This will ensure the wire isn’t coming into contact with the tree bark.
Although this method is mostly used with young dwarf trees, use a tall enough stake to keep even the top of the tree secured. Before driving the stake into the ground check your prevailing wind. Also observe your tree for any noticeable lean to one side or the other. Often times a tree will be planted straight but might settle one way or the other. Correcting this now with the stake will encourage your tree to grow straight and strong. If your tree is leaning one direction, drive your stake on the opposite side of the tree. If you have a prevailing wind and no wind break place your stake upwind of the tree.
I used to use a lot of wood stakes but noticed they can rot and weather after several years in the ground. I now mostly use heavy duty t-posts. They can be driven in by hand with a post driver and a bit of effort.
Trellises are commonly used in commercial orchards but can also be utilized in the backyard planting as well. Trellises work best when trees are planted in straight rows. Posts are driven at each end of the row and spaced evenly between the row of trees. Wires are run the length of the row and positioned at lower, middle, and upper portion of the tree. Intertwined between posts and trees this method is often more economical per tree in large orchard rows. The combination of the posts and the wires work to stabilize all the trees in the row.
Mature tree staking is exactly what it sounds like. When a mature tree begins to lean, using a support stake is often needed to keep it from completely uprooting.
Staking a large tree is more complicated than simply driving in a stake and hoping for the best. First determine if the tree needs to be pruned to balance itself out. A mature tree will lean when storm damage removes a bunch of branches on one side of the tree. Pruning and providing a support stake can keep the tree upright for years to come.
Once balanced out the tree is ready to be staked. A heavy duty wood or metal post must be used on mature trees. Also needed is a heavy duty rope or strap to secure all the weight of the leaning tree.
Locating where and at what angle to secure the stake is vitally important. Locate your stake opposite the direction of the tree lean. Positioned properly you can get away with one stake. Next we position the rope. We want to place the rope high enough around the tree trunk to take a good amount of the trees weight. This position is going to be different for each situation.
The stake should be driven into the ground at a 45 degree angle with the top of the stake pointing away from the tree. The size of the tree and the degree of tree lean will determine the size of stake you need. The bigger the tree and the bigger the tree lean, the longer and thicker the stake diameter should be.
Once your stake is driven secure your rope. Making it as tight as possible will enable the stake to take the most amount of burden off the leaning tree. A winch or a come along can be used for larger trees.
Staking mature trees can be an intimidating job. If you are unsure of how to safely secure that leaning tree contact a local tree professional. If you’re in my area reach out and we can assist you in supporting your tree!