Bracing newly planted trees

Brace a newly-planted tree to help it grow straight and strong. Drive the stake into the ground at an angle against the prevailing wind direction of the area where you live.

If you have just planted a new tree in your landscape it is a good idea to brace the tree, precisely the way you want it to stand, until the tree becomes well established in the ground. Though you may initially plant the tree exactly you as you want it to grow, as the roots expand and take hold in the ground, the tree may tilt or adjust slightly which can make a difference when you’re talking about a tree that can grow 20-30 feet or more.

You need to set the brace at an angle, optimally at an angle against the main direction the wind blows (see the picture to the left).  That way, as the wind blows, it pushes the stake into the ground more.

Keep in mind that trees are self-optimizing structures, meaning they will automatically strengthen the weaker parts of their bodies as they are discovered. For this reason, trees should not be braced for years on end: the tree will never feel the need to strengthen itself as much as it should in order to stand alone against wind or storms because the braces absorb much of the strain from these weather phenomena so the tree won’t have to.

Bracing trees helps them grow straight. If they're not braced, they may shift as their grow and establish themselves.

Bracing trees is a good thing when a tree is new and isn’t yet established in the ground. But after a year, or two at the most, the tree needs to stand alone so it will self-optimize and become strong and independent.

I couldn’t resist using the picture at the right. I can only suppose that either the owner wanted the tree to grow that way, or the stakes themselves weren’t sturdy enough to maintain their position against the wind or the tree’s growth. Or it could just be the camera angle.