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Crooked Tree

The landscapers left us with this tree which is growing crooked. The trunk is still pretty supple and you can straighten it manually, but it returns to being bent as soon as you let go of it.

I have read many competing opinions on tree staking, and some sources recommend using some bamboo or something as a brace. What is the proper method for correcting the bend in this tree?

VividD
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tom.dietrich
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    That tree has been growing crooked for years. If you are really concerned over having it straight get the landscapers to replace it. Even the city where I live plants trees that are straight. – kevinskio May 24 '15 at 22:28

3 Answers3

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I personally use narrow bamboo bracing, hopefully with a branch crotch and stand the bamboo at about 60 degrees, and force the end into the ground. If the bark is sensitive you should use a cloth on the tree end.

That said, not all trees have to be straight, and there is something to be said for letting the tree do most of the work.

Alex
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  • Where do you buy narrow bamboo bracing from? – Danger14 May 31 '15 at 15:08
  • I grow them, but in a more temperate climate I would check at a local nursury. They may recommend the fence-post technique from the other answer, that will work too. – Alex Jun 05 '15 at 14:15
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Looks too tall and skinny, also planted crooked by lazy landscapers. May be trainable with a guyline that runs about 1/3 distance up from the first branchings, using semi-flexible broad material like bicycle inner tube - not wire inside a hose. Tension to bring top into vertical, leave for a season and after leaves fall, loosen and see if it has 'taken' the new set. If not, re-tension for another year and cross your fingers. In colder regions, maples are prone to branch loss, even trunk failure, from late spring snow after leafing out, and long skinny trees like this are not promising.

wizened coot
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I asked my local native plants gardener store who've been in business 25 years (so I assume they're trustworthy) the same questions about my crooked crape myrtles and they recommend 6ft tall metal fence stake to allow for tree growth with this plastic twist and tie lock cable.

metal stake for crape myrtle

Danger14
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  • Tree in question looks curved enough that it'll need attachment to stake at at least two points. Landscapers left VividD with a cheapy. At least it's pruned well for a young tree. You see some freshly planted six foot Silver maples with branches coming out less than 2 feet from the ground; and no one around here seems tp know how to prune for themselves. – Wayfaring Stranger Nov 16 '17 at 17:12