Question: Do I need to stake my new tree?

Answer: Probably. Since you’ll want its trunk to be perfectly vertical, you should stake it. If you use cables or wires, protect the tree trunk by running them through pieces of old garden hose. Be certain one of your cables is due south, to hold the tree against the prevailing summer breezes. One would then be northeast, the other northwest. Be sure they’re tight, so the tree can’t whip in the wind, but don’t let them girdle the limbs or the main trunk. Wooden stakes can also be driven alongside the trunks of smaller trees to hold them upright, but be careful that you don’t damage major roots in the process.