Guide to Staking and Guying Trees

Staking your tree ensures stability until the tree is able to support itself-- read on for some helpful tips on how to support your tree's growth.

Is Staking Required For Every Tree?
More often than not, trees will establish and thrive without the help of stakes or guying. 

We recommend taking these steps if:
-There is excessive bending of the trunk

-The tree has unusually small root systems that cannot support any of the above-ground growth
-Planting site has a lot of wind exposure

Proper Staking Technique

If the staking period is prolonged or done improperly, you run the risk of causing stem breakage on your tree!

Staking & Guying Materials

• Staking materials vary depending on the situation and size of the tree. For small to average-sized trees (up to 10-12 feet in height), wooden stakes are sufficient. They should be at least 2" x 2" x 5' long. For larger/heavier trees or those planted in windy areas, metal fence stakes are recommended. 

• Guying anchors are typically shorter and stronger, since they are driven deep into the ground and exposed only a few inches above the soil surface. Stout wooden stakes (at least 3" x 3" x 24"), duck-billed soil anchors, or reinforcing rods (minimum of 5/8" in diameter) are most often used.

Attaching Wires/Ropes to the Trunk

Whether you are are attaching the tree to stakes or guying anchors, it's crucial to keep in mind that any rope, wires or metal cable should never be touching the trunk or branches.

Utilize any material that has a broad, flat surface as this will assist in preventing abrasion and compression of the stem.

Additionally, it's good to keep in mind that attachments should only be made 1/3 or 2/3 up the trunk--never attach directly below the first set of branches.


In attaching too close to the branches, you run the risk of potentially snapping the trunk in heavy wind-- the cause of this is a rigid hold on the trunk paired with a loose canopy.









Placement of Stakes/Anchors & Stem Attachments

As a rule of thumb, use as few of these as possible. 

In most cases with smaller trees, one stake is enough to keep the tree both vertical and stable. It's important to place your stake upwind from the direction of prevailing winds. Drive the stake into the outer edge of the planting hole, safely away from the root system.

If one stake is not sufficient, place two that run parallel to the prevailing winds.

For guying straightened, wind thrown trees, use three stakes or anchors equally spaced around the tree.

Always remember to attach the stem to stakes or anchors loosely!

Leave room for some flexibility at each point of attachment-- trees need to be able to move a little during windy periods in order to develop flexible strength and stem diameter. With only rigid support, this will result in tall trees with weak trunks.

Windthrown Trees

On occasion, windthrown trees can in fact be straightened and saved-- the success of this technique depends on several key factors:

• It must be a true wind throw meaning the roots are pushing up through heaved soil. If the tree is leaning/horizontal but the roots aren't pushed up, unfortunately the tree stem has likely broken off in the ground.
• This technique work best on trees that are relatively small (15-20' high; stem diameter of 6" or less). Larger trees can in fact be straightened, however it takes a skilled tree care company with special equipment to perform the operation.
• The roots must be alive-- if they have been exposed for even a couple days, the roots have likely begun to dry out. This will reduce your chance of success in saving the tree.
• The soil must be moist--successfully straightening a tree in dry soil conditions rarely happens.
• Most shallow-rooted species (such as maples) stand a better chance of being straightened rather than deep-rooted varieties (like walnuts).

Straightening the Tree

If the tree cannot be straightened immediately after the wind subsides, keep the root system moist.
This can be done with irrigation and a mulch such as loose straw or burlap.

Excavate under the heaved-up root system to the depth of the lifted mass of roots and soil.
This allows the root and soil mass to settle back to a normal depth once the tree has been straightened.

Never pull or winch a tree into an upright position without excavating under the heaved up roots. Without that cleared area for the root and soil mass to settle in it will be pulled from the ground, resulting in more broken roots on the opposite side.

Install a triangular guying system, water thoroughly, fill with loose soil, water again and mulch the entire rooting area. Remember to inculde guying anchors within the mulched area.

Stake & Anchor Removal

Your stake or guy attachments were likely installed at the time of the initial planting, or shortly after. These should be left in place for one growing season.

After you remove the attachments, check your tree for stability; if the tree's root system still moves in the soil when the trunk is moved or whether the trunk still bends excessively, reattach the connections to the stakes loosely, to accommodate new growth.

Leave the stakes or anchors on for one more season.