Staking and watering new trees: what extension services say
Five US publications say when a new tree is staked, how long stakes stay, and how often and how deep a new tree is watered. They agree on some points and give different schedules on others, which this page sets side by side.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the named codes, regulators and makers say. It is not training and does not teach the work. The sources are university and forest service guidance and a tree body's owner page, not standards or law. Where a figure differs between them, the table shows both. Planting depth is on the planting depth page, mulch on the mulch page, and the standards for planting on the planting and soil standards guide. Courses are on the certifications guide.
Staking
| Source | When and how | How long |
|---|---|---|
| ISA, Trees Are Good, Planting a Tree | When necessary; it says studies show trees develop stronger trunks and roots if not staked, though staking may be required for bare root stock or windy sites. Support: Three stakes or underground systems provide support. | Stakes removed after the first year of growth |
| Kansas State University, MF3313, July 2016 | If necessary, to keep the root ball in place. Support: Support low on the trunk steadies the root ball while the top of the tree moves and strengthens. | Removed after one year |
| Colorado State Forest Service, Part 2 | It names three reasons: windy sites, near people activities, or a tree that cannot support its own weight; for the most part it says a tree in a homeowner's yard should not need staking. Support: Fabric straps around the trunk; the wires between trunk and stakes not too tight, so the tree can move in the wind. | One growing season; stakes and straps removed after that |
| Auburn University and Alabama Extension, FOR-2192, January 2026 | Only when a new tree is unstable, in a windy or exposed place, or open to vandalism. Support: Two flexible ties low on the trunk, below the canopy, so the tree can sway; it also describes wood logs nailed into the ground just above the root ball. | As soon as the tree can stand alone, usually after one growing season and no longer than 12 to 18 months |
The sources give reasons for the limits. Auburn says stakes left on too long can cause bark damage, trunk constriction and poor structural development. Colorado State says staking can damage the tree if done improperly or left on too long. Kansas State points to its separate publication MF1120, Staking and Guying Landscape Trees, for more.
Watering
| Source | Schedule or amount it gives | Other points |
|---|---|---|
| ISA, Trees Are Good, Planting a Tree | Soil kept moist by watering at least once a week when it does not rain, more often in hot, windy weather, continuing until mid-fall | Fertilizer avoided at planting |
| Kansas State University, MF3313, July 2016 | The top 2 to 3 inches of the root ball kept moist and checked with a finger; water deeply when dry; in winter, monthly if less than an inch of rain has fallen | Water that takes longer than 10 minutes to soak away when the hole is filled with water indicates poor drainage |
| Colorado State Forest Service, Part 2 | 1 to 2 gallons per inch of trunk diameter, 3 to 4 days a week depending on temperature and wind, without letting the tree dry out | The first season's watering centres on the root ball; after a season or two the planting hole and beyond |
| Auburn University and Alabama Extension, FOR-2192, January 2026 | Daily for the first 2 weeks; every 2 or 3 days for 3 months; then weekly until established. Establishment takes 2 or 3 years; once or twice a week generally, moistening soil 8 to 12 inches deep | Shallow, too frequent watering encourages weak roots; overwatering is as harmful as underwatering because waterlogged soil deprives roots of oxygen; sandy soil needs water more often than clay; slow-release watering bags named |
| University of Illinois Extension, updated September 2020 | Trees need 1 to 2 inches of rainfall a week; new trees watered for the next two summers when rain is short; heavily once a week rather than small amounts often; soil wetted to 8 to 12 inches | Soaker hose or a trickling garden hose loses less water to evaporation than a sprinkler |
Where the sources differ
The schedules are not the same. Auburn's first-year plan starts at daily watering, Colorado State's rule is by trunk diameter on 3 to 4 days a week, and ISA and Illinois both use a weekly rhythm. Kansas State gives no fixed interval and ties watering to checking the root ball. Kansas State, Auburn and Illinois each ask for deep watering or give a wetting depth; ISA and Colorado State give no depth. They also each say the rate depends on weather, and Auburn adds soil type. Whether a particular city or contract sets its own watering period is stated in that contract or planting specification.
Sources
- ISA Trees Are Good, Planting a Tree page, read October 9, 2026
- Kansas State University, How to Plant a Ball-in-Burlap Tree and How to Plant a Container-Grown Tree (MF3313), July 2016, read October 9, 2026
- Colorado State Forest Service, How to Properly Plant a Tree Part 2: Shave the Root Ball, read October 9, 2026
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Best Practices for Successful Tree Planting (FOR-2192), January 2026, read October 9, 2026
- University of Illinois Extension, Tree and Shrub Planting Guide, updated September 2020, read October 9, 2026