I would think that the multi branching would be fine since the main stem would be growing as the branches grow at the same time to support the weight. If it was more than four, I might help prune to make sure it wouldn't cause any problems.. Just like we cut back when the nodes produce multi stems.. I would watch and select prune.

Good point...

Laura

I consider full-time staking and tying to be a negative thing. Doctors will tell you that a back brace is only good if used sparingly because your body responds to being constantly braced and allows your muscles to weaken. Since your back is always supported with a brace, it doesn't need those muscles anymore, and they atrophy. I believe the same would apply to plants. Of course, you're going to have some damage from time to time when a storm comes along, but I believe that is natural.

Jedobal- I have been staking and tying plants up to 12 feet tall for over a decade and they are doing quite well. While many friends have had plant branches bend out and/break, mine have continued to grow large and strong. It appears to me that after several years, the thickness of the branches are enough to support the growth and I cut the lower ties off. A plant is quite different than the muscles supporting a back. I think my supported plants become much stronger than those that are straining to hold weight. I am quite happy with the results I have gotten and I have not had a problem with branch breaks. This is a young hedge.

I truly hope I did not offend as that was not my intention.

My intention was to educate, and the accepted wisdom is that full-time staking is a bad thing. There are many reasons, and the main one in my mind is what I spoke about (weak wood). When a tree is staked, the lower portion of the tree believes that environmental stresses are low, and puts very little effort into strengthening the main trunk. This does increase the growth speed of the plant, but that is also a negative thing because the plant is then subjected to more stress because of the increased height, and decreased trunk strength. What follows is a snip from the ISU Forestry Extension: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/tree_planting/stake.html

Before staking new plantings, consider the effects from staking or guying of trees compared to trees which are not staked.

• may be damaged by rubbing and girdling from stakes and ties
• the trunk will grow and bend away from the stake
• the trunk will be stressed more at the point of stake attachment and subject to increased breakage
• provide more wind resistance because the top of the tree is not allowed to move as much.
• develop weak wood from the staked position down towards the base of the tree; trunk movement is required for optimum strength of wood during development and growth.
• produce less roots.
• reduce stem taper which means less strength of the bole or trunk of the staked tree.
• height growth may be increased.

All of these effects of staking make a tree more subject to injury and less able to support itself. Staking is a very expensive cultural practice and one which requires a lot of maintenance for optimum benefit to the tree.

It turns out that just like increasing muscle size (small rips) plants do the same thing when stressed by the wind, and those small rips turn into the wood.

I have to stake my trees do to being in containers and being to top heavy in the wind. If I didn't stake, I'd have many broken branches and trees toppling over all of the time. I'll use rebar or will use the deck. My trees that have branches that are growing outwards, Ill tie to train them to be more compact ( closer to the main stem) One they harden up I can remove the tie. I have been doing this for years and I haven't seen any damage at all. I also have seen Bills trees and Buds and they are solid trees.

Laura