How Long to Stake Palm Trees After Planting

How long do you stake palm trees after planting? That depends largely on the tree itself and how much support it needs. Large-sized palms, freshly dug from a nursery field or growing in large pots, weigh hundreds of pounds and may wobble or lean as a result of soil settling or strong winds. Until the roots grow outward and stabilize the upper weight of the canopy of your landscape trees, landscapers often stake palms for around one year after planting. Straps and braces must be removed so that they don't constrict vascular tissues during expansion of the trunk as it grows.

Newly planted large palms, such as those with at least 6 feet of trunk, require bracing. The taller the palm and more exposed to winds, the more important bracing is for the palm's root establishment and overall safety. Some areas require palms planted near roads to be braced regardless of size.

Short palms planted next to a building, sidewalk, patio or parking lot may also warrant bracing, especially if the tropical region is entering the tropical storm and hurricane season. Bracing short palms makes sense if you don't want winds toppling a palm or a leaning trunk next to utility lines, blocking clearance, or falling onto picnic tables or playground equipment.

Bracing or staking palms provides anchorage and stability to allow newly forming roots to grow outward into the surrounding soil. It should happen as soon as you plant the tree to give it support from the beginning. Once roots stabilize the palm, bracing must be removed.

A minimum bracing time frame of six to eight months is usually necessary. Don't brace palms for more than 12 months. Consider leaving braces up on palms as they endure their first tropical storm season. Including the first storm season, still don't keep the braces on for longer than 12 months.

Palms aren't true trees with a protective bark and cambium growth layer underneath. Any damage, such as nail puncture wounds, don't heal on palm trunks. A tripod or quadripod wood support system most appropriately brace tall palms.

Wrap 3-foot-long 2x4 planks with multiple layers of burlap fabric or old blanket fabric as padding. Fasten these padded plants vertically around the palm trunk with metal strapping. Nail the strapping into the planks, making sure no nail tips pierce the trunk. Then, place long 2x4s at an angle from the trunk to create a support structure. Nail an end of the long plank to each padded plank piece strapped onto the trunk. Again, don't puncture long nails through so far that they wound the trunk.

Wedge the long plank bottoms into the soil to brace the tree. In soft soil, drive a pointed, 24-inch-long wood wedge at the end of the plank in the soil to stabilize the long plank support.

The bracing of tall palms merely helps stabilize them during windy periods. They aren't permanent structures, even when used to brace upright and replant hurricane-toppled palms. Keeping the straps around the trunk for too long constricts expansion of the trunk and prevents flow of sap. Moreover, after eight to 12 months, sufficient roots should have grown in the evenly moist soil environment. Removing bracing puts full weight load on the roots and allows them to further grow in a manner to better anchor the tall palm in winds.