We have a young Kentucky Coffeetree in our yard. The City planted it in the fall of 2017. This spring, we removed the stake that the City put in with it.
The tree bends over very far with the prevailing winds, and we’re wondering if we should not have remove the stake. I’ve attached a picture of the tree pushed over by the wind. I can’t seem to attach more than one picture; if I could, I would include a picture of the tree with no wind.
The trunk is about 1.5″ diameter at the bottom; the branches start about 7′ up. There is a slight natural bend in the trunk about 4′ up, which is probably where the strap was when it was staked.
Should we re-stake it, to prevent it from bending over so far in the wind?
From your photograph, it is evident that your young City of Toronto tree is not yet strong enough to withstand strong windy conditions, and the City will likely concur that it requires continued staking. The City’s guidelines recommend staking for a period of two years. Please see these guidelines and contact information here. It would make sense for you to call the City’s Urban Forestry department and ask them to come out to inspect and re-evaluate. If you happen still to have the cloth ties and stake, you should re-stake gently in the meantime.