New tree leaning slightly after storm

4 years ago

My new gold rush dawn redwood has been in the ground for around a month. It's about 7ft. tall and was planted with one of those bamboo stakes that came with it from the nursery.

We had a storm last night and now I noticed it leaning slightly, about 10 degrees. The ground is very soggy, but the tree feels very sturdy in the ground and the mulch and dirt right around the tree is undisturbed. It is possible that maybe the tree just settled in this way, that almost seems more likely than wind.

Any recommendations?

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
the stake it came with.. is probably a shipping stake ... in case the box got inverted.. hold the pot from crushing the plant ... rather useless once shipping is done ...

it has no use.. if it doesnt reach into native soil ... sometimes i used to pull it out.. and replace it in the same hole.. with a longer stake ...

anyway ... let the soil dry a bit ... dig away from the lean... a bit ... then go to the lean side.. and lever it upright ... and then refill the hole on the lean side ... clear as day to me.. do the words mean anything to you?? ... lol ...

then put some real stakes in a couple feet from the plant.. and tie that sucker up ... by fall.. you can probably release it ..

was it bare rooted.. and planted into native soil ... is the potting media left.. wildly divergent from native soil ...

summer heat is starting .... if you somehow decide bare rooting is necessary.. i might wait until fall to do that ...

btw... you dont mention how big it is.. if its small.. it might change my answer ... somewhat ...

ken
Alexander SE Michigan - Zone 5b
Original Author
4 years ago
Maybe 7ft. tall to the top, a pretty small tree. It was planted with the soil it came with. The stake it came with does not reach into native soil. Many of my trees came with those little bamboo stakes twist-tied on. Are you saying I should remove them all?

I would prefer not to stake the leaning tree... because I am lazy. If it's just a slight lean on such a young tree would it eventually just straighten itself out?

I have a crappy pic of the yard from this morning. You can barely see the tree, but if you look just to the left of the house in the front yard, first you will see a rising sun redbud, then just to the left of that you will see the gold rush. If you can tell, it's just a slight lean.
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Alexander SE Michigan - Zone 5b
Original Author
4 years ago
Sorry, the resolution is too low to zoom in well, I will try to take a close up pic when I get home.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 years ago
I would prefer not to stake the leaning tree... because I am lazy.

==>>> just go out there and straighten it as i suggested ... and stomp the soil down ... and skip the stakes.. but you still have to walk all the way to the shovel.. and all the way to the tree.. and all the way back to put the shovel away ... crikey ... you sound like me... lol ..

yes ... shipping stakes should all be removed... save them.. some day you might need them for splinting.. or raising a new leader.. etc ..

is that the hot tub??... thats a long walk in 2 feet of snow.. in winter.. lol ... i bet its not.. since we dont sink them in the ground in MI ...

is your native soil nice loam???

ken

ps: pet peeve of mine... it came with media in a pot.. you planted it in soil.. mother earth ... soil is not used in pots ...
brothergarm
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I have some experience with some slightly leaning M.g. 'Gold Rush'

I have 3 of these and for the first couple years the trunk was super bendy. I don't tend to stake more than I need to, but I had to stake these for about 3 yrs, so you may find that you need to give these guys some extra support until the caliper increases. I have species and 'Silhouette' that this didn't happen to, just the 'Gold Rush's.

New tree leaning slightly after storm

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Alexander SE Michigan - Zone 5b
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New tree leaning slightly after storm

Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Alexander SE Michigan - Zone 5bOriginal Author

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Alexander SE Michigan - Zone 5bOriginal Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

brothergarm

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Alexander SE Michigan - Zone 5b
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Alexander SE Michigan - Zone 5b
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