Patent ID: 8316579

Claim:
A method for installing a tree, the method comprising: placing a root ball of the tree into a hole in ground; inserting a plurality of biodegradable stakes into a root ball of the tree so that each of the stakes penetrates the root ball and extends from a top of the root ball through the root ball and into undisturbed soil at a point below the root ball in the hole; horizontally stabilizing the plurality of stakes using a plurality of slats, each of the slats having a thickness much smaller than a length and width dimension thereof, the slats being placed on or above the root ball and including holes through which the penetrating means are inserted, in which a footprint of the stakes and the slats is entirely within a footprint of the root ball; cutting excess portions of the stakes; securing the slats to the stakes using nuts fastened to the tops of the stakes; a second cutting step cutting the stakes flush with the tops of the nuts; and covering the root ball, slats, stakes and nuts with loose soil.