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Leaning young crab apple tree

RedSquirrel19RedSquirrel19 Posts: 21
in Problem solving
I planted this young crab apple tree in 2018. It's established well, but is growing at an angle - towards the right (and the road) in the picture, as you can see.

Should I re-stake it and try to pull it back towards the vertical, with ties? Or is this unnecessary? Any advice/similar shared experience would be appreciated. Thanks



Posts

  • Simone_in_WiltshireSimone_in_Wiltshire Posts: 1,073
    Did you try if it moves a bit?  Putting a stake in now is probably too late. Try it during the winter when the soil is wet und tie it gradually and slowly to get it straight again. You might have to keep the stake. It looks like the tree get most of the wind from the left side. 

    I ♥ my garden.

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited July 2022
    I would dig it up and re-set it (planted correctly with better staking). I have OCD you see. Follow the usual advice for moving trees. Perhaps lean it into the wind slightly to anticipate the prevailing wind! I would tie it to a horizontal bar between two beefy stakes, using a rubber tie and spacer.. The bar should be on the windward side of the tree so the wind pulls the tree away from the bar, instead of rubbing against it. 

    (If the lower branches would get in the way, this staking method might be better) 

    Or just learn to accept your wonky tree.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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