Tree cabling and bracing is a common practice among tree care professionals through which cables and brace rods are utilized to help minimize the risk of failure of weak or dangerous branches and to support weak crotches. Below you can learn more about tree cabling and bracing practices, uses and find out how Adirondack Tree Surgeons near Saratoga Springs NY can help.
Tree Cabling & Bracing: What Is It And How Do I Know If My Trees Need It?
Since tree cabling and bracing serve different purposes, it’s important to understand their differences in order to determine which your trees might need. Tree cables are generally composed of a high strength steel and are attached to bolts installed in the upper crown of a tree. These cables are intended to limit the movement of the supported branches so that in the event of severe weather or storms, they are less likely to suffer further damage or fall. Braces, on the other hand, are threaded steel rods that are installed through multiple stems and unions of weak branches to provide increased, rigid support from gusty winds and other strong forces that often occur during violent weather.
Tree cabling is used in a situation where it’s necessary to stabilize a weak or split crotch or to support a heavy horizontal branch. Some important things to keep in mind regarding tree cabling are listed below:
- Trees should be pruned before hardware is installed.
- Cables should be taught, but should not pull limbs together
- Trees that have energized lines passing through them should not be cabled
- Cables must not rub against the tree or objects in the tree
Tree bracing is also used to stabilize a weak crotch, however, it is also used to repair split crotches in trees and to hold rubbing limbs together or apart to prevent continued rubbing from occurring and causing further damage.
What Is The Next Step?
Supplemental structural support systems for trees, such as cabling and bracing, should only be installed by a professional tree expert after a thorough inspection and evaluation of tree structure is performed by that expert. Once cables or braces have been installed, it is recommended that a visual inspection, which can be done from the ground, is performed annually and a climbing inspection is performed at least once every five years.
If you think your trees might be in need of tree cabling or bracing, please contact Adirondack Tree Surgeons today at 518-792-2225 to learn more about our tree cabling and bracing services and to schedule your appointment with our tree care professionals.
