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How do I loosen ties on pleached trees and when to remove stakes

crunchie1967crunchie1967 Posts: 5
in Problem solving
Hi,

I have pleached Red Robin trees in my garden which were planted 3 years ago. Some of the ties are looking a little tight around the trunks. When retying them, should they be a snug fit or can I leave some growing room so I don't have to repeat the process too often? 

Also, when can I remove the stakes? Or are do I need to keep them in permanently?

Picture attached. Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance. Colin.


Posts

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Note I am not a tree expert.
    I don't think the stakes should be against the tree, they should be separated by those ring pieces. I would lose that upright one altogether and the green ties


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd agree - there should be a bit of wiggle room between the stakes and trunks, and the upright one shouldn't really have been needed anyway when the other ones are in place, so you could carefully remove that.
    That stake at the back looks as if it's rubbing on the trunk too, so you may need to remove that one too. Each angled stake should have had it's own rubber tie like the front one ,which doesn't look like it's the case. 
    I'd have thought they should be well enough established by now to be able to manage without stakes though. 
    Do they seem quite stable @crunchie1967?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I thought pleached trees always had to have their upright stakes kept for life because of the added weight of branches on top (plus the horizontal poles whilst it's establishing).

    Have I got that wrong? 

    I do think those trees have been very badly staked and tied, judging from pictures of others I have seen but am not a tree expert nor have I had pleached trees myself.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • crunchie1967crunchie1967 Posts: 5
    nutcutlet said:
    Note I am not a tree expert.
    I don't think the stakes should be against the tree, they should be separated by those ring pieces. I would lose that upright one altogether and the green ties
    Hi Nutcutlet. The upright is bamboo to support the frame for the pleaching at the top so I think I should leave it in there. I will put the ring pieces in. Thanks.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    OK crunchie, make sure it's not up against the trunk or the trunk will get bigger and be damaged by it


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Use ties like the black one, but fitted as in the pic on here  https://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/buckle-and-strap-ties (there are other places you can buy them). The buckle goes on the stake side. Leave some room for growth on the tree side and check regularly so you can loosen them as the tree grows thicker.
    If you live somewhere windy and the pleached part of the trees is exposed (eg sticking up above a wall) they can act like a sail so it might be wise to keep the angled stakes for extra support and fasten the upright stake to them.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - you're right @Lizzie27 - I was forgetting about them being pleached rather than standards. The frame usually stays for a very long time.
    It's the tightness of everything that's a bit worrying, although the stake at the back is still the one I'd be most worried about. I wonder if that one could be moved back a bit and a proper tie put in and correctly fitted as per @JennyJ's link ? I'd agree with Lizzie about the way they've been attached - it looks as if one tie has just been put right round both angled stakes when they should each have one.
    Are they all like that or is it just that one @crunchie1967?

    Difficult when we're not there and only seeing a photo.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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