Pine trees that need support.

[First-light]

So I planted about 250 white spruce about 5 years ago. They came from the Saratoga nursery. Most of them made it it and are 4' tall and full. There are a couple that are real thin and at least 6' tall. They are really bending over. Will they fill out over time or should I help them out and drive a stake in the ground and tie it up for support?

[SplitG2]

Support them.

[First-light]

Next time I'm up i"ll do that. It's amazing how the 4th and 5th year how big they are. Beautiful trees, well worth the time and effort.

[Doc]

I never heard of a tree that would not support itself from its own weight, especially ones that are 5 years old. Are you sure that they are not victims of that late snowstorm that we had this year that dropped a significant amount of heavy, wet, sloppy-gloppy snow. I had a blue spruce in the front yard that was very healthy and had a trunk that was about 7" in diameter that got really screwed up with that storm. about 4' up the trunk, it actually took a right hand turn and looked like a hockey stick. The goofyest thing I have ever seen. It wasn't broke at least not outside the bark where you could see it. But it just took a sharp bend and never straightened back up. I had to cut it down.

Perhaps this is something that happened to the bent trees you are seeing. They may very well need a bit of persuading and staking to straighten them up again. It sure wouldn't hurt. One thing I would caution about is to be sure you don't drive any support in too close to the roots. That could wind up doing more harm than good. Also if you have to tie something to the tree (like guy-wires), make sure you put something smooth and soft between the rope and the bark of the tree. I have used sections of old garden hose for this purpose. Otherwise, the wind whipping thetree around over the year will cause a sawing kind of action that will damage the bark.

[Gthphtm]

A white spruce is not a Pine tree.I have a number of spruce trees from 3' to 60' tall never had to support any of them.Find some fertlizer mad for that type of tree and feed it before it gets too warm out.Now or Next Spring.

[Lever action]

I went for a walk this morning and noticed some japanese larch that I planted 4 yrs ago are doing the same thing .We had some strong winds from a thunder storm the other day which I blame for this.I probably have 2 doz trees that are bent over.I looked closely at them and they are not up rooted and the bark isn't broke they are just bent over, some almost lying on the ground.Anyways I had the same thought about putting a stake in the ground and supporting them.

[tughillhunter]

use pieces of old garden hose to keep from harming the tree.

[Single_shot]

As long as they don't do this. LOL

[growalot]

Rainy day so I decided to grab the camera on the way out for my walk...this is what the last winter storm did to a row of my wht spruce...some have started recovering ...others I can tell that they are"stress fractured" on the inside....will never straighten ...some I'll cut the tops out of and allow a secondary leader to grow...they are snow break trees....

[First-light]

Thanks all. Grow they look like your trees. They just aren't as full at the bottom. Doc I'll use the garden hose trick and help them out a bit.

[G-Man]

have a lot of black cherry that got bent from last snowstorm, support them if you can, mine are to big (tall) and look like they will be cut for firewood.