"wheator" wrote in message
...

I have a silver birch that is just over 3 years old - it's about 12'
high, but the trunk is not very substantial - ie almost the same width
from ground level to about 3' to the top. The tree has always been
staked. The position of the tree is in a very windy area (strong
westerlies) and as such tends to bend into the wind.
The stake has been gradually reduced in height to now about 2' from
ground level.
I have a couple of questions - Should I insert an additional stake in
order to try and straighten up this eastward bending trunk or is it too
late, in which case should I remove the remaining stake and leave it to
the elements to either increase the girth of the tree or blow it over -
my concern is that once it fully comes into leaf, in a stron wind, the
crown will simply snap off?
Any advice would be appreciated.

If you have the space you could attach a flexible ring to the underside of
the crown and "Guy Rope" it on the side the wind blows from.
Have a word with
http://www.jtoms.co.uk/