Should i stake my weeping willow

Fill the ditch with water and wait while it soaks into the soil. Deep-soaking allows the roots of the willow to shift without breaking. Look near the willow tree for a solid, fixed object on the opposite side of the tilt.

This could be another tree, a building, an electric pole or a post. If such an object is reasonably close to the willow, use that object as the anchor or point of repair for straightening your tree. If you cannot find an appropriate anchoring object, hammer the stake into the ground. Tilt the stake slightly away from the tree as you are hammering to give it more holding power. Circle one end of the cord around the willow. Position it carefully so that it connects with a solid section of the trunk.

Tie it securely. Pull the loose end of the cord firmly but gently until the tree stands upright. Remove the tree guard, ties and stake when the tree has reached an acceptable height. The tree should continue to develop naturally. Weeping willow seeds are borne in capsules that measure 1-inch in length. For this reason, it is best to collect the seed capsule before it pops open in spring. The ideal time is when it turns from green to yellow.

Seeds may remain viable for one month if they are kept moist and refrigerated in a sealed container. Weeping willow tree seeds have no dormancy period and do not require any special pregermination treatment. Keep the medium slightly moist during germination. When the seedling reaches 6 inches in height, transplant it into a 1-gallon container filled with commercial potting soil and increase the amount of sunlight it receives, gradually, until it is in full sun. The ideal time to plant it outside is in early spring, after the danger of frost has passed.

Ideally, their usefulness is regularly evaluated by an arborist, public works crewmember, or experienced gardener and stakes are removed as soon as their purpose has been achieved. Reality is often different, though, with trees going un-examined and stakes remaining in place long after their usefulness is over.

This is when stakes can start damaging a growing tree. One way that long-term staking damages a tree is that it prevents its natural movement in the wind. When wind blows around the crown and trunk of a young tree, the tree responds by producing natural growth hormones. These growth hormones encourage an increase in the girth, or diameter, of the trunk and branches. Movement also encourages a tree trunk to taper, making it thicker at the base and thinner toward the top of the trunk.

This young conifer tree is growing well without any kind of staking. As usual, it depends! This will keep its trunk vertical as the rootball and lateral branches develop. But professionals also understand that a large transplanted tree, either field or container-grown, may not have enough of a root system to support its dense or spreading crown, particularly if its planted in an exposed or windy site.

This is when staking is most useful. And whips establish in place, so their roots and crown develop in direct response to their growing conditions, ensuring future stability. Likewise, a narrow, upright tree may be less likely to need staking in comparison with a spreading, dense-crowned tree.

This is because windy conditions often determine staking needs; a large, wind-catching tree crown with a small rootball is more likely to be pushed over. Better methods for protecting these trees are to always keep a ring of mulch around the base of the tree , or to erect a fence to encircle and protect the tree.

Soft, flexible ties should be attached to the stakes and tied to loosely encircle the trunk. You want to encourage movement of the tree while providing gentle support, not immobilize it. Tying a tree so that it cannot move is also a problem.