Staking young trees

I've bought four 2 year old fruit trees and I understand they will need to be staked.

1. How much stake do I need in the ground and how much stake do I need above ground?
2. Vertical or 45 degrees?
3. Thickness?

Thank You!

 

I have these ones and i put them in vertically and all is fine

http://www.yougarden.com/item-p-150003/tree-planting-kit-for-1-tree

Altho i actually dont really know whats best but nothing has gone disastrously wrong

 

1. At a guess 16 inches minimum in the ground, I just bang mine in and judge it. Depending on the height of the tree the stake should stop at the base of the crown. Don't forget the ties and don't let the stake rub the tree. I find it best to sink the stake on the side of the worst wind direction, eg. if the wind comes from the west, put the stake that side so that the trees movement is away from the stake, not towards it.

2. I always go with vertical, I think it gives the tree more support and less chance of me tripping over the stake.

3. About 2 inches across.

 

Thanks both.

I can get 2x2 easily and will go vertical. Putting the stake in windward has also been recommended in my fruit tree book so glad to see people on here agreeing. @Sheal, you say the stake should go up to the crown, is this not the bit right at the bottom?

 

It's the top (think Kings and Crowns )

 

The top of the stake should stop at the top of the trunk where the branches start. I've put the link on below more for the diagram more than the instructions but, having read those I don't think it makes any difference whether the hole is square or round, mine are round. One other thing, if the tree is grafted near the base then that should be just above ground level.

http://www.landford-trees.co.uk/planting.htm

 

If you go vertical, you risk smashing off a lot of roots as you drive the stake down.

 

Clueless, I've only ever used vertical stakes and not lost a tree because of root damage.

 

I'll be putting the stake in first and then the bareroot tree after.

 

Same here, but its my understanding that the risk is not so much that you'll lose the tree, but more that you'll impede its initial development. I'm quoting pure theory though, as I generally use vertical stakes too, or in a few cases, no stake at all.

 

Okay the fruit trees will be of MM106 rootstock or the equivalent in Pear and Plum. So I think I'll get 5', with 2' in the ground.

 

Loofah, it really makes a difference where you live. My trees would snap with the angled stakes because of the high winds we get here, even though my garden is fairly sheltered.

 

I think fruit trees might be a bit different from a tree grown from seed. I'll be planting 2 year old maiden fruit trees that will need the support.

 

Modern thinking is for a stake at 45 degrees & tied low down allowing the trunk to move around which allows the trunk to strengthen.