Seed Shop | By EcoLogic Horticulture
Tall Rooted Stakes (TRS) are increasingly being specified on riparian restoration projects as a hybrid planting format that blends the advantages of live stakes and rooted plant material.
Each season, TRS are produced from spring-harvested live stakes and grown in nursery conditions using air-pruning containers, resulting in strong, well-developed root systems prior to installation.
Unlike traditional live stakes, which must be installed during narrow dormant-season windows, TRS can be planted throughout the growing season once vegetated, significantly expanding project flexibility and reducing scheduling constraints.
TRS are specified when:
TRS are ideal when both performance and flexibility are critical.
Tall Rooted Stakes combine the deep installation and structural function of a traditional live stake with the establishment advantages of a rooted plant. Unlike dormant stakes, which must initiate rooting after installation, TRS are grown in nursery conditions to develop active root systems before planting.
This allows them to be handled, transported, and installed as a stable planting unit while significantly improving survival rates and reducing establishment risk.
Once installed, TRS access deeper soil moisture through their stake-like form while expanding their existing root systems into surrounding soil. The result is immediate vegetation, faster stabilization, and a more reliable path to riparian restoration success.
The following videos demonstrate how we process, grow or colllect willows in real-world conditions.
We care deeply about how willow material is grown because we know what it is being asked to do after it leaves our nursery. Whether it is a live stake, a rooted willow, or a Tall Rooted Stake, each format is produced with the goal of supporting stronger establishment and better restoration outcomes. Give this article a read to become better aquatinted with a few of the most popular formats.
Human development and natural disasters have led to degradation and erosion of habitat leaving many riparian areas in need of restoration. With evolved understanding of our local ecology an innovation is starting to take center stage. Say hello to the Tall Rooted Stake or TRS.
