Garden Escapades

Strangulation by Staking

Garden Escapades — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:32:36 +0000

I see this all the time. A landscaper or homeowner plants a new tree and stakes it because it is commonly recommended to prevent new trees from shifting or blowing over in high winds. In some cases homeowners add stakes to try and straighten a crookedly planted tree. The stakes and their wires are usually forgotten until years later. These trees were staked three years ago when they were planted. At the time the loops that went around the trunks probably had plenty of space for the trunks to grow. But as you can see the trunks grew too large for the loops and began the slow process of strangulation by staking. The tight wires constrict the vascular system of the tree which is a very thin layer that sits just below the surface of the bark. If this is caught early most trees will recover quickly once the wires are loosened or removed. If left to the point where the tree canopy is showing damage and the trunk is growing around the wires then it’s a gamble if the tree will survive. I’m not much of a gambler… I would suggest replacing the tree.

While staking has its place, most new trees do not need to be staked. Trees are meant to sway in the wind. This action actually strengthens the trunk as it grows. Unless your tree is planted in a wind tunnel it will probably be fine if not staked at planting. If you absolutely have to stake your tree keep a couple of things in mind:
1. Cushion the loops around the trunk with sections of rubber or soft fabric so that the natural swaying action doesn’t grind and rub away the bark (just as bad or worse than strangulation).
2. Keep the loops loose. Check every few months to make sure the trunk has plenty of room.
3. Leave enough slack in the guy wires to allow the tree to move a couple of inches in each direction.
4. NEVER use support wires to keep a tree from leaning over.
After a year you should be able to remove the stakes and wires. If the tree won’t stand straight on its own then it probably wasn’t planted right in the first place and doesn’t have a supportive root system. Replanting it, properly this time, is your only option.

My Garden: Disclaimer

Garden Escapades — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 04:43:56 +0000

The posts and pictures in this category are about my garden at home. This garden is where I experiment. This garden is what I tend to neglect. This garden is what I fight about with my husband who would prefer it was nothing but Bermuda grass. A lot of fun and exciting things happen in my garden and I am sharing it with you because I think you might find it educational and sometimes entertaining.

However, it almost never looks picture perfect so don’t hold that against me.

Shady Woodland Garden

Garden Escapades — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 02:51:54 +0000

Homeowner-Installed Design

Garden Escapades — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 16:27:10 +0000

This is the “after” picture for a design that the homeowners installed themselves. I hand-picked the plants and helped the homeowner lay them out in the new beds.

Freeze damage on pansies

Garden Escapades — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:49:26 +0000

This picture was taken two days after the big thaw of DFW’s “Snowmaggedon”. You might think these pansies have been killed by the hard freeze that lasted for four days. Fear not! pansies are one of the toughest winter annuals we can plant in our area. As the temperatures warm up these pansies will bounce back, putting out new leaves and eventually new flowers. It will take few weeks for these pansies to flourish again. If you prefer not to wait that long to have beautiful pansies after a hard freeze you should cover them with a frost blanket. Almost any kind of covering will help insulate the pansies: old sheets, towels, burlap, or an actual frost cloth will keep the pansies warm enough to prevent the worst damage while letting air and moisture through. Avoid any kind of plastic. I’ll post an update as the pansies recover. Stay tuned!

Complete front garden revision

Garden Escapades — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:24:36 +0000

Hand drawn master plan

Garden Escapades — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 05:49:28 +0000

Here we grow!

Garden Escapades — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:28:41 +0000

Garden Escapades is a landscaping company focused on helping homeowners improve their gardens through sound horticultural practices and design principles.

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