Stakes are to keep a tree upright until the roots develop enough to support the tree by themselves. Stakes should not be used to "pull" a tree straight. It should have been planted straight in the beginning. Stakes should be tied by rubbers to the tree loosely. Allowing the tree to move in the wind (which aids in root development) without blowing over enough to break or dislodge the roots. This being said, if you have a tree that has an established root system, but is growing crooked you can trim the tree to an upright habit or stake the high part. This staking will be to coerce an upright leader and will be very different from the establishment staking. I suggest researching the topic or taking a class from the local extension service or local arborist. P.S. clear a 2 foot ring around the tree and mulch the area. The tree will triple its growth rate and become more vigorous.

Hey Ken, Thanks for the response! I haven't pruned this tree save that one branch last year and some dead stuff, because I thought it ought to become established better before doing anything. If you can see all the old pruned branches, that wasn't me. You ask if I know how to prune... not by any of your standards, no. I've never been trained by anyone who knows a thing or two about trees - and that's why I'm here! The lowest branch is about 2.5-3' from the ground. The next (same side) somewhere around 4'. Obviously, they're too low, but there's a whole lot of foliage coming from those two branches and I'm hesitant to take them off. From what I understand I should have done it after bloom, but I really had no idea they would become that heavy. Silly me, yes. Please forgive my ineptitude. The stake was put in because the tree was side heavy and leaning even further under its own weight last year. I wanted to remove the lower branches, but hubby wouldn't let me. The stake is still supporting this weight (I tried earlier), obviously because the tree hasn't grown too much on the other side and the heavy side has just gotten heavier... I need to alleviate that weight, I assume. So, yes, please forgive this newb. I want to learn and understand, I really do.. it's just something I never make time for and, well, learning off the web is dubious at best. I'm attaching a few pictures below. Sorry I only attached the one last time. It was just because it only lets you do one and I had kids to tend to. :/

"Something isn't right with the timeline of this plants life...11 years? The caliper of that trunk isn't even as thick as the stake.. I dunno..." I'm inclined to agree. There is no way that looks like an 11 y.o. graft! I also have a great deal of reluctance in accepting that a large growing conifer.......not that these individuals appear to be growing all that quickly.........can remain in a 1G nursery pot for that length of time without being densely rootbound. Even if it had been root pruned (and I have no idea how likely that would be with the repertoire of a conifer grafter) a couple of times, the roots would still fill the pot. Heck, my dwarf conifers will do that in a single growing season!! There IS something kinda fishy here....... btw, a "straight" trunk is a human construct, not necessarily a natural one :-) Plants will grow in response to their environment in addition to their genetics, both of which can encourage bending, twisting, drooping or contorting of any or all parts. They are living organisms afterall and differing appearances and growth habits or tendencies just add to their individual characters. Other than a few vines, I have never staked a plant but aways allowed them to assume whatever form or natural growth habit they were inclined to follow. It smacks to me of something akin to plant bondage..............

with trees .... we talk in tree time... usually counted in decades ... i suspect its a goner .. now .. or in a decade ... or anywhere in between ... on the one hand.. whats to lose trying ... except for all the ugly stakes and guy wires ... but it might live on stored energy for a year or 3 [trees store energy in the root mass ... and that has undoubtedly been significantly impacted] ...... or who knows.. but i suspect it will eventually die ... maybe fall over in the next great wind based storm ... and then you will have to pay someone to come back and remove it ... on the other hand... the backhoe is sitting right there... and it can be removed right now.. for free .... and you can move on with life ... plant another tree if you want ... after the rest of the work is done .... i would get rid of it.. CODB ... cost of doing business ... ken