Staking can provide stability for newly planted trees.
Metal fenceposts are a popular choice for tree stakes.
Damon Abdi, assistant professor of landscape horticulture at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station, demonstrates how to wrap a strap around a tree to connect it to stakes.
Trees generally should not be staked for more than one growing season. When staking materials are left in place too long, they can girdle a growing tree and cause unsightly damage to its trunk.
Damon Abdi, assistant professor of landscape horticulture at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station, displays a variety of materials that can be used to connect trees to their stakes. From left are thin rope to be threaded through a piece of hosepipe barrier, plastic chain locks and woven straps.
The cooler months are ideal for planting many tree species in Louisiana. Staking newly planted trees can offer much-needed support as they start to put down roots — especially in the case of large trees.
“When you get that instant effect from a mature tree being put into the landscape, you’ve got a lot of topheavy growth, but you don’t have the root ball to accommodate that,” said Damon Abdi, assis…
