Why Trees Lean
A young tree may lean for a variety of reasons.
- Unestablished Roots: The most common cause for leaning in a young tree is because its roots have not yet extended out from the root ball to grip the surrounding soil.
- Weather: Heavy rain, snow, ice storms and strong winds can all cause considerable stress on a young tree forcing it to lean.
- Soil: Loose, porous soil doesn’t provide good support for a tree’s roots. On the other hand, soil that is too wet can also cause a tree to be unstable. Plus, eroded soil from wind or water can expose roots and cause an inability to stay vertical.
- Light: Although they prefer to grow straight and upward, trees that have been planted in an area that creates competition may sometimes grow at strange angles towards the light or to avoid shade created by other plants.
How to Straighten a Leaning Tree With Tree Straps
A slight amount of leaning is natural and expected for a young tree. In fact, it can typically develop into maturity with a few degrees of slant without any harm to its overall health or strength. However, more significant leaning may eventually affect the tree’s growth. If this is the case, you can straighten the tree with stakes and tree straps to provide temporary support until the root system becomes more established.
Step 1 – Drive the Stakes
Use a hammer to drive three wooden stakes around the perimeter of the tree outside the root ball area. It is recommended to position two of the three stakes windward. All stakes should equidistant from each other. Drive the stakes into the ground at least 6-8 inches deep toward the trunk of the tree. You will be removing these stakes after the tree roots have become established, so you don’t need to drive them extremely deep.
Step 2 – Put the Tree in an Upright Position
Once the stakes are in the ground, you can push the tree into a straight and upright position. Use slow, steady pressure so you don’t harm the trunk. After the tree is completely upright, secure the soil around the base to ensure the root ball stays in place.
Step 3 – Secure the Tree with Tree Straps
Step 3 – Secure the Tree with Tree StrapsThe tree can then be supported by tree straps. Each strap features holes for supporting wires to be fed through. The tree straps are the only part that will come in contact with the tree, so a soft polypropylene material is recommended to avoid damage to the bark.
The rope or cable is threaded through the tree strap to ultimately tie the tree to the stakes.
Step 4 – Be Patient!
As your tree becomes better anchored, leave the stakes and tree straps in place for at least a year. This will give the roots time to become fully embedded in the soil. You can check periodically and ensure the tree straps are secure and adjust the rope or cable as necessary.
A tree that is significantly leaning can become an eyesore and even a danger to your yard. If your tree requires additional support to stand upright, Eaton Brothers offer tree straps to fasten to any stake or anchoring system with brass grommets at end end for tying.
