Question: I bought a 5-gallon crabapple tree last week and it came with a bamboo stake tied to the trunk. Should I remove this stake and insert a larger one just outside the rootball, or should the tree be left unstaked and allowed to flex? It's leaning a bit right now.

Answer: If your crabapple is leaning, you'll want to straighten it out while it's still young. Remove the small bamboo stake and drive 3 stakes into the ground just outside the rootball area, in a triangle pattern around the tree. Tie the trunk of the tree to each of the stakes so that it stands straight and tall. Check the ties every few months to make sure they're not digging into the bark of the tree trunk. You can safely leave the tree tied to the stakes for about a year, which will allow plenty of time for the roots to become established. Once your tree is firmly anchored in the ground you can remove the stakes and ties. After this treatment the trunk should not lean, but continue to grow straight.