Plant tie in Exeter
Professional plant tie services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
20-30 mins
Location
Exeter, Devon
Plant ties checked, adjusted, or replaced. Stop strangling trunks, prevent rubbing damage, keep everything properly supported.
Ties That Were Fine... Aren't Anymore
Here's what happens: you stake a young tree properly, fit a nice tree tie, everything looks great. Two years later that tie is strangling the trunk because the tree's grown and the tie hasn't been loosened.
Or the plastic's perished in UV, or the fabric's rotted, or the spacer's fallen out, and now your tree's rubbing a wound into its own bark against the stake.
Five minutes checking and adjusting ties can save you from losing a tree you've nurtured for years.
💡 Pro tip: Most tree damage from staking isn't from the stake itself - it's from ties that haven't been adjusted as the tree grows. Set a calendar reminder to check every spring.
What Goes Wrong With Ties
| Problem | The Damage | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too tight | Cuts into bark, strangles trunk | Loosen or replace |
| Spacer missing | Trunk rubs against stake | Add spacer block |
| Tie perished | No support, or sharp edges cutting in | Replace completely |
| Wrong type | String/wire cutting into bark | Replace with proper tie |
What I Check
🔍 Quick Tie Assessment
When I look at your plant ties, I'm checking:
- Tightness: Can you fit two fingers between tie and trunk?
- Condition: Is the tie material sound or perishing?
- Spacer: Is there a block preventing rubbing?
- Stake stability: Is the stake still solid or has it loosened?
- Damage: Any rubbing wounds or bark damage already happening?
Pricing Guide
| Job | You'll Pay |
|---|---|
| Check and adjust multiple ties (up to 6-8 plants) | £60 |
| Replace several ties with new ones | £60 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour). For a whole garden of plants it might run longer.
Perfect For Your Garden If...
✅ Trees staked 1-2 years ago - ties probably need loosening
✅ Old ties looking tatty - replace before they fail
✅ Noticed rubbing damage - fix it before it gets worse
✅ Bought a house with staked trees - previous owner might not have maintained them
Why Choose Us for Plant tie in Exeter?
Tight ties loosened before they damage plants
Broken or perished ties replaced
Rubbing damage prevented
Stakes checked for stability
What to Expect
Step 1: Inspect All Ties
I'll go through every staked plant or tied climber, checking how tight the ties are, whether they're perished, if spacers are in place, and looking for any damage already happening.
Step 2: Adjust or Replace
Ties that are just too tight get loosened. Perished ones get replaced completely. Missing spacers get added. Stakes that have loosened get re-driven or replaced if rotten.
Step 3: Damage Assessment
If there's already rubbing damage or tight-tie wounds, I'll show you and explain whether it's serious or will heal fine. Advice on monitoring it going forward.
🔧 DIY Tips
Want to check your own plant ties? Here's what to look for:
🔧 What you'll need
- Replacement tree ties (the adjustable buckle type with spacer blocks)
- Soft garden twine for climbers/perennials
- Secateurs or scissors
- Notebook to record which plants need attention
🔍 Checking existing ties
Walk around and check each staked plant for:
-
The finger test: Try to fit two fingers between tie and trunk
- Easy to do = tie's fine
- Tight = needs loosening immediately
- Very tight = urgent, tree at risk
-
Material condition:
- Tree ties: Check plastic isn't brittle/cracking
- Fabric ties: Look for rot or fraying
- String: Probably needs replacing with proper ties
-
Spacer block:
- Should be visible between trunk and stake
- If missing, trunk is rubbing - add one now
-
Look for damage:
- Indented bark where tie's too tight
- Rubbed patches where spacer's missing
- Weeping sap (sign of damage)
🔧 Adjusting ties yourself
For tree ties with buckles:
- Unbuckle, move to next hole out, re-buckle
- Ensure spacer stays positioned between trunk and stake
- Should be firm but not tight
For soft ties (climbers, etc.):
- Cut old tie completely
- Re-tie loosely in figure-of-eight pattern
- Knot should not be against the stem
⚠️ Signs you need urgent attention
- Tie buried in bark (it's girdling the trunk)
- Fresh rubbing wounds on bark
- Tie completely perished/broken
- Stake has snapped or worked loose
- Tree leaning despite being staked
💡 Pro trick: When you adjust a tie, take a photo and note the date. Next time you check (in 6 months), you can see how much the tree's grown and whether it needs more frequent checking.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🌳 Aim to remove stakes eventually: Most trees only need staking for 1-2 years. Once roots are established (test by gently pushing the trunk - root ball shouldn't rock), remove stake and ties completely. Tree will be stronger for it.
Multiple trees? If you've got several young trees in the garden, it's worth having them all checked at once. While I'm going around checking ties, I'll also look at whether any are ready to have stakes removed completely.
Old string or wire ties? These should never be used on trees - they cut in as the trunk grows and can girdle a tree. If I find string or wire, I'll replace it with proper tree ties with spacers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do plant ties need checking?
Trees and plants grow. Ties that were fine last year can now be strangling the trunk, cutting into bark as it expands. Also ties perish - UV breaks down plastic, weather rots fabric, and suddenly your expensive tree is rubbing directly against its stake. A quick check and adjustment prevents serious damage.
How often should ties be checked?
At least once a year, ideally twice (spring and autumn). Fast-growing young trees might need checking more often. If you notice bark damage, rubbing wounds, or the tie looking tight, get it sorted immediately before it girdles the trunk.
Can you just replace all the ties while you're there?
Absolutely. Sometimes it's easier to just fit fresh ties than trying to assess which old ones are still good. Tree ties are cheap - it's the tree that's valuable. I'll replace any that look dodgy.
What about climbers on trellis?
Different type of tying but same principle - check they're not cutting in, adjust as the plant grows, replace anything that's perished. Climbers often need ties adjusted because they're actively growing up supports rather than just being held stable.
My tree's rubbed raw against the stake - what now?
First, fix the tie so it doesn't rub any more (proper spacer needed). The wound itself will callus over naturally - trees are pretty good at healing bark damage. Just needs to be protected from further rubbing and kept an eye on for infection.
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