My problem (well, one of them friends would say ) is the reverse of TTC! I've just planted bare-rooted saplings on slightly raised mounds (as the soil is wet in winter). The saplings are one to three feet in height, so too small to stake at the moment. Assuming they get through the autumn/winter gales when should I be thinking about staking them? Indeed should I be thinking of staking them? I never did in my previous garden, but that was heavy clay and I didn't need to use raised mounds either.
DampGardenMan, just leave it unstaked. Trees under six foot or one inch diameter usually don't need staked.. only if there extenuating circumstances such as constant wind, etc.
DampGardenMan, just leave it unstaked. Trees under six foot or one inch diameter usually don't need staked.. only if there extenuating circumstances such as constant wind, etc.
Well it is windy, but not constantly, so I'll follow your advice, thank-you. I'm hoping the mounds will let them get a good grip early on, whereas the wet soil below might not offer such a good grip initially.
As your soil sounds shallow I personally would allow the trees to be staked for 5 yrs. to give the roots time to get down into the sub soil. They are sizeable trees so need time to become established, especially if you get a lot of wind through your garden.
That's it.. it all depends on your personal specific conditions, I think.. and your general gardening attitude. My soil is cruddy and shallow.. and I do mix in about 50/50 GPC and hole soil at planting to give the bare roots something to keep them going until they plan to venture further out into the surrounding soil.. but I always plant young (3-4ft whips) bare root trees, and never stake them. With your conditions, perhaps the tree roots will never venture down into the wet soil.. really depends on the variety of tree (the two you chose will likely be fine with setting roots down, I would think).
Here is some advice by Iowa State University regarding staking, and here Washington State University.. and here is a research article by the UK Arboricultural Advisory. They all disagree with the RHS advice.. but each to their own.
Here is some advice by Iowa State University regarding staking, and here Washington State University.. and here is a research article by the UK Arboricultural Advisory. They all disagree with the RHS advice.. but each to their own.
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Here is some advice by Iowa State University regarding staking, and here Washington State University.. and here is a research article by the UK Arboricultural Advisory. They all disagree with the RHS advice.. but each to their own.