First time apple planting question

[KDdid]

I just picked up my first two potted apple trees (big box), and am wanting to get them in the ground quickly. However, the forecast for the next two days is warm (mid 70’s), and windy (gusts to 40mph. Should I keep them in shelter until things moderate? Only one has broken bud, the other is just to the bud swelling stage.


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[Prof.Kent]

I'd say plant them at your earliest time. If you get strong winds regularly (over 15mph) I would add a stake on the windward side(s) and give the tree some support. Use cloth rope; something that will not abrade the bark. I'm surrounded by forest so I don't see strong winds often. I still stake my trees. Spring winds with saturated soil makes for tipped trees. Tipped trees can mean broken roots.

 

[yoderjac]

I cage mine for protection. Rather than staking, I run rope through the remesh cage from two sides back and forth to form a square in the middle of the cage. Young trees need to flex in the wind so they don't become brittle. The rope allows them to blow freely in the wind to a point where they are limited so they don't get blown over or damaged in high winds.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Prof.Kent]

I cage mine for protection. Rather than staking, I run rope through the remesh cage from two sides back and forth to form a square in the middle of the cage. Young trees need to flex in the wind so they don't become brittle. The rope allows them to blow freely in the wind to a point where they are limited so they don't get blown over or damaged in high winds.

Thanks,

Jack

That works!

 

[Telemark]

I just put my first two in today. Both from TSC, but different age, etc. One had a good root ball, so I fluffed it out and gave him one stake just in case. The other had been heavily trimmed, but the roots appeared to be healing. I gave him three stakes, and I will leave them on for a couple years, I guess.

 

[j-bird]

I planted 6 2 weekends ago.....3 where even subjected to some short term flooding....but seem to have done just fine so far. We have had some crazy weather this spring so I just planted and hope for the best.....we have gone from freezing temps to 70's in a matter of a few days a few times times already.... Most trees that have not leaved out won't have enough surface area to be significantly affected by the wind from what I have seen. A little support won't hurt anything either as was mentioned.

 

[Native Hunter]

I do something similar to what Jack mentioned, except instead of using rope, I use pieces of the stiff clothesline that is coated. I like using it, because if you need to make a slight adjustment at any time, you can bend the wires a little and they stay in place. The slick plastic coating is not abrasive to the trees. Lots of ways to skin a cat - just wanted to share mine.

 

[KDdid]

It’s on, then-planting tomorrow!


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[Spur]

It’s on, then-planting tomorrow!


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Be careful with the big box stores since they harbor many diseases. A guy Ive been helping out this year planted a pear tree from Lowes and it had fireboight. Now he is trying to save his old orchard he bought a few years ago.

 

[H20fwler]

On the staking and securing; My area is very flat and can get really windy sometimes for days, so I stake for the first few years until the tree is good and strong. I have always used wired run through a piece of old garden hose about 6"-8" attached to a 1X1 stake. I guess I do it this way because it's how my Dad showed me to around forty years ago.

 

[yoderjac]

On the staking and securing; My area is very flat and can get really windy sometimes for days, so I stake for the first few years until the tree is good and strong. I have always used wired run through a piece of old garden hose about 6"-8" attached to a 1X1 stake. I guess I do it this way because it's how my Dad showed me to around forty years ago.

My concern with a rigid stake like that, especially in high wind areas, is that the tree doesn't get stressed when young. That can make the trunk more brittle. After the stake is removed, a high wind event when the tree is fully leafed out could cause the trunk to snap rather than bend and snap back. While each area is different, staking in such a way that the tree can bend in the wind more will produce a more flexible trunk. You can still use wire and hole like that but generally, this kind of staking is done on 3 sides and the wire is not tight on any side when there is no wind. The amount of slack in the wire dictates how far the tree can bend in the opposite direction of the stake.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[rocksnstumps]

I wouldn't say they get brittle with a single stake that doesn't bend, more like they get like a wet noodle if you pull the stake away. I stake all my trees with T-posts since I have removed a lot of fencing over the years and have a bunch. I don't bother with 3, I go with 2 stakes as the trees gets several ft taller then stake height and arrange them north/south as we get mostly west winds. For trees in cages same thing, just tie off to the N/S sides of the cage at the top.

 

[H20fwler]

My concern with a rigid stake like that, especially in high wind areas, is that the tree doesn't get stressed when young. That can make the trunk more brittle. After the stake is removed, a high wind event when the tree is fully leafed out could cause the trunk to snap rather than bend and snap back. While each area is different, staking in such a way that the tree can bend in the wind more will produce a more flexible trunk. You can still use wire and hole like that but generally, this kind of staking is done on 3 sides and the wire is not tight on any side when there is no wind. The amount of slack in the wire dictates how far the tree can bend in the opposite direction of the stake.

Thanks,

Jack

It's a non issue.
Like I said have seen them this way for over forty years in a windy area never seen one snap or end up weak. So there is no concern with that at all.

 

[yoderjac]

It's a non issue.
Like I said have seen them this way for over forty years in a windy area never seen one snap or end up weak. So there is no concern with that at all.

It may not be an issue in your area, but it is an issue. When they were first planting trees for windbreaks in open areas they found trees were snapping much later in life. Research showed that when young trees are not allow to flex in the wind at a cellular level the trunks become more brittle. When they are young, as rocksnstumps says, you might see the wet noodle effect if you remove the stake. I'm sure there is variation based on the individual tree species.

It could certainly be that the amount of brittleness that the specific kinds of trees you are planting is not sufficient for catastrophic failure in your conditions. It is completely believable that in a given location it may be a non-issue. Having said that, best practice, regardless of the method used, is to allow trees to flex when young but limit that flex so they don't fail.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[H20fwler]

It may not be an issue in your area, but it is an issue. When they were first planting trees for windbreaks in open areas they found trees were snapping much later in life. Research showed that when young trees are not allow to flex in the wind at a cellular level the trunks become more brittle. When they are young, as rocksnstumps says, you might see the wet noodle effect if you remove the stake. I'm sure there is variation based on the individual tree species.

It could certainly be that the amount of brittleness that the specific kinds of trees you are planting is not sufficient for catastrophic failure in your conditions. It is completely believable that in a given location it may be a non-issue. Having said that, best practice, regardless of the method used, is to allow trees to flex when young but limit that flex so they don't fail.

Thanks,

Jack

They must be able to flex more than you imagine, I do appreciate your concern. I haven't noticed any wet noodle affect on the trees when stake is removed after being secured that way for a few years. About all the landscaping trees here of many varieties are staked similar and I've never seen or heard of any issues in over fifty years of living in the area.

 

[yoderjac]

They must be able to flex more than you imagine, I do appreciate your concern. I haven't noticed any wet noodle affect on the trees when stake is removed after being secured that way for a few years. About all the landscaping trees here of many varieties are staked similar and I've never seen or heard of any issues in over fifty years of living in the area.

I wasn't so much concerned with your situation. You know your area and what works there. I was more concerned about new folks that may be in other areas. There are lots of techniques folks can use that allow flex. For single stakes, I like PVC. It is inexpensive and will flex in the wind. When I use cages, I like boxing in the tree. You know best works for you!

Thanks,

Jack