how to best stake a 7 yr old flowering pear tree?

Question

My pear tree (aristocrat) has too much trunk movement for my comfort, and appears to list to one side. It's as high as two stories, but only 18 feet from the house. It is a strong tree, unlike Bradfords.

I think it moves because seven yrs ago I planted it too shallow, and made the hole too wide - so that the virgin soil is not close enough to the original ball. Makes sense?

I need to straighten it for this year at least. What is the best way to stake a tree this big?

Answer 1

First of all staking actually makes a weaker tree. Trunks need to wiggle to develop the lignin in the cell walls.

Too shallow is far, far better than too deep!! You kill trees by planting too deep...even an inch or so too deep can be deadly to some trees.

Too wide a whole........can't happen. The roots don't want that compacted "virgin" soil, they want a loose friable soil enriched with oxygen which is why the too wide can't happen.

If you tree has been in the ground for 7 years and hasn't formed a strong root system, I'd be looking at the root system. Could be the roots were confined in the pot too long and are circling around, strangling one another, not moving out like they should.

I agree, a seven year old tree shouldn't have the wiggles, but I doubt staking is going to help. Try carefully digging down and examining the roots. See if they have grown outward.....you should have some sizeable laterals by now. If the roots are going round and round, I'd replace the tree. It will only grow weaker. (another thought is there is a girdling twine or wire either on the trunk (below soil line) or around roots that is preventing food from reaching the roots thus the roots are undersized.)

To answer your question about staking, it's for one growing season only (usually when first planted) and nothing around around the trunk. Stake low if possible, the first 18-24 inches above the soil are the most critical.

Answer 2

Staking can make a tree weaker when young but at this stage it should be strong enough to hold itself up without the 'wiggles'. I would stake it if you are really worried and then I would look at the root system. The tree would be well past worrying how you planted it, the first year. (You can't dig a hole too wide and the the soil would have been close or it would have died, the tree doesn't care if its virgin or other.)

Do you live in a particularly windy area. This makes trees lean and you are not going to beat this. Go ahead and stake but unless you address the underlying reason it will eventually will fall down. If you planted it shallowly originally it should have grown past this now. If the roots are too shallow and this is what you have to address to fix the problem why? Is this tree watered frequently and shallowly - this will cause shallow rootedness. Fix by once a week heavy watering to encourage roots to go down and stabilize the tree. Are you in a very rocky area - perhaps the tree is planted on top of a very large rock and can't get it's roots down. If this is the case you may have to leave this tree staked and replace elsewhere with a new tree. Are you in an area that has heavy clay that doesn't allow the roots to go down deeply. Check your neighbours trees are they having the same problem? Use clay breakers that you can water in and get the advice of a local tree surgeon.

Staking it will not solve your problem if you can't get the roots to grow. Once you remove the stakes it will happen again. Hope you save it.

Answer 3

I have seen this done. Get several ft. of strong wire.
2 pieces of garden hose to go almost half way around tree
Insert wire threw hose and wrap around tree, so the wire will not cut into the tree as it grows. Extend the wire several ft.
from the tree and stretch. Then drive a sturdy stake and attch to gradually pull it one way or use on both sides to grow straight up.