For most gardeners, the sight of perfectly grown, vigorous trees are source of joy and pride. Be that as it may, a question often asked is how to brace a tree the right way. You expect your plants to grow strong and tall to showcase the ideal landscape. In spite of that, nature sometimes has its ways to deviate from what is often expected. As an example, tall trees such as oak trees, willow, and pine trees can bend and lean as a result of harsh weather conditions.

As a gardener, caring and maintaining for trees or plants are an utmost priority. Making sure they get enough sunlight, water, and pruning  are essential things you must do. To ensure the overall look of the landscape is flawless, keeping trees standing tall and straight is another important task to complete. In this article, I will share a quick guide on how to brace a tree the right way.

Things You Will Need

Before starting any project, make sure that you have everything that you need. Here is the list of things you will need to complete this task.

1. Protective gear

Make sure safety is always your priority for every project you do. Wear protective gloves
as well as a pair of sturdy work boots or any protective footwear while accomplishing
this task.

2. Stakes

You can use wooden stakes for trees shorter than 12 feet. For taller and heavier trees,
you can opt to use metal stakes. (Tip: Make notches on the wooden stakes to make it
easier for you to wrap the strapping around it later on. Metal stakes usually have holes or
notches in them already.)

3. Rubber Strapping

You also need to prepare two pieces of rubber strapping measuring about 2 feet long
each.
(Tip: As an alternative, you can also use anything with a broad surface that can stretch a
little and will not cause damage to the tree.)

4. Nails

You will need one nail for each strap.

5. Hammer or mallet

Use a hammer or mallet to pound the stakes into the ground.

Step by Step Guide

Once you have gathered all the vital tools for this project, you can promptly go through the process of straightening a tree. Here are the steps you need to follow.

1. Choose and assess the tree that needs bracing. Not all trees need to go through this process. Check the tree if it really needs to be braced or straightened. Once you have selected a tree that needs bracing, you can proceed to the next step.

2. The next step is to drive the stakes into the ground. The most crucial thing you need to keep in mind is to avoid driving the stakes into the root-ball of the tree. If this happens, it will damage the roots of the tree and weaken it. Determine the spots outside the root-ball area of the tree. Using a hammer or mallet, drive the stakes at
least 24 inches deep.

(Tip: If in case you feel the stakes are wobbly or not sturdy enough, keep going until it is stable enough.)

3. Using the rubber strap or any of alternative to it that you can find, wrap it around the trunk of the tree and around the stake, making sure the strap is taut. Use your hammer and nail to secure the strap to the stake.  Make sure to spare a little room for the tree to sway.

4. On the opposite side of where the first stake was driven through the ground, do the same using the second stake. The distance between the tree and the two stakes should be adequately equal. Remember to avoid the root-ball area of the tree, and the stake should be at least 24 inches deep. Using the second piece of strapping, wrap it above
or below the first piece and around the second stake. Use a nail to secure it to the stake. Remember to give space for the tree to sway a little.

5. After one growing season, it is recommended to remove the brace from the tree. Assess if the tree is sturdy and straight. If it’s still crooked or unstable, keep the brace in place and do another assessment after another season.

Conclusion

With the method that you just learned, you can ensure your trees grow straight and can stand up to strong winds. I hope you found this article helpful. Please feel free to contact us if there is any other way we can assist you.