Keep the area around the tree weed-free for the first three years.
Revisit any trees planted in the last five years at least once a year, between March and September.
- Any broken or dead branches? Remove them.
- To develop a tree with a single straight trunk, select the strongest leading shoot and shorten or remove any others which might compete with it.
- Check the base of the tree for any gaps in the soil caused by swaying and fill these in.
- Any signs of disease? Get further advice.
Loosening ties and checking stakes
- If the tie is too tight, loosen to prevent it damaging the tree. Make sure you can slide a finger in between the tree and the tie.
- Is a stake still needed? A healthy tree should only need a stake for up to two years, if at all.
- To check if the stake is still useful:
- release the ties
- push the tree gently to one side.
if it returns to an upright position, carefully remove the stake by pulling it upwards - using a crowbar will help. Shaking the stake may damage the roots. Fill in the hole.
if it does not return to a upright position, move down the trunk until you find the point where you can push the tree and it does. Re-attach the tie here and carefully saw off the stake above the tie. This will allow natural swaying in the wind, which will strengthen the trunk.
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Try this again next year until it is safe to remove the stake.
