American Tree Experts

5 Must-Know Drawbacks And Benefits Of Tree Cabling

drawbacks and benefits of tree cabling

Discover the benefits of tree cabling and how to avoid the drawbacks

Tree cabling and bracing is a common practice that helps preserve a tree and lengthen its lifespan. Tree cabling can help save a wide range of tree species and is frequently done in urban and suburban areas. However, there is a lot more to tree cabling than just holding up branches. So let’s dig deeper to discover the benefits and drawbacks of tree cabling.

Benefits Of Tree Cabling

There are numerous benefits of tree cabling. Some of them are obvious, while others gradually appear. The most important benefits of tree cabling include the following:

Decreases The Risk Of Damage

  • Tree cabling prevents the risk of damage caused by falling trees and safeguards homes, vehicles, and human lives. However, damaged trees can fall without warning, posing a significant threat to anyone in their way, and even parked cars can be severely damaged.

In situations where a tree is at risk of falling in places where it shouldn’t, it is advisable to hire the services of a professional arborist to evaluate the tree’s needs and determine if cabling is a suitable option. Taking proactive measures can help prevent a potential incident from occurring.

Promotes Healthy Growth

  • Heavy wind can often eradicate the tops of older trees, sabotaging the integrity of your tree. However, cabling strengthens the structural integrity of a tree, promoting healthy growth and prolonging its lifespan.

In addition, cabling helps to distribute the weight of the tree’s crown, reducing the risk of branch failure and damage. As a result, the tree can continue to thrive and grow to its maximum potential.

Produces More Fruit

  • Trees that bear heavy fruit loads can strain their branches and increase the risk of breakage. Cabling provides additional support to heavy branches to distribute the weight of the fruit load evenly, preventing damage and promoting healthy growth.

As a result, a significant increase is seen in the fruit yield of trees such as apples, plums, pears, and quince. This technique is particularly useful for older fruit trees with weaker branches.

Drawbacks Of Tree Cabling

Tree cabling may have some drawbacks, including:

It Cuts Off Nutrient Supply To Upper Branches

  • While cabling offers significant benefits, it can pose some risks to the tree’s health. One of the dangers of cabling is that it may cut off essential nutrients to the tree’s upper branches. When a hole is drilled through the core of a tree to install a cable, it can affect the nutrient supply to the canopy layer.

Although the effects of this may not be immediately noticeable, over time, it can cause issues that compromise the tree’s health and longevity. However, this issue can be mitigated by avoiding drilling holes through the tree’s core. Alternatively, go for the cables that wrap around the outside of a branch rather than piercing through it.

Poorly Installed Cables

  • benefits of tree cablingImproper installation of tree cables is another potential risk associated with cabling. While it may be tempting to install cables yourself, doing so can be extremely dangerous and may result in serious injury or property damage.

Effective cabling requires specific expertise, including knowledge of cable tension, placement, and appropriate materials. Hire an experienced and qualified arborist to assess your tree’s needs and properly install cables to avoid these issues.

At American Tree Experts, Inc., we offer the best services to keep your plants out of harm’s way. Our tree cabling service makes sure that your trees are secured and protected. Our most sought out services are pruning, bracing, pest management, and nutritional management. We offer services in Montclair, New Jersey. Call us at 973-744-6091 for a free quote.

Do Trees Help Change Climate?

do trees help change climate

Read below and discover how do trees help change climate

Climate change is a reality, and it affects everyone around the world. While cutting back on sources of pollution is one strategy to deal with climate change, planting more trees is considered a better and long-lasting solution. Read below to find out how trees help combat climate change.

Trees Purify Air

  • In the present day, CO2 is found abundantly almost everywhere on Earth. It is one of the harmful gases produced as a result of combustion, be it from vehicles, industries, or a forest fire. CO2 is lighter than air, and it goes towards the upper atmosphere. There it acts as a blanket around the Earth, trapping heat.

As a result, we experience an annual increase in temperature. This annual temperature increase results in other problems such as irregular weather patterns, heat waves, floods, and damage to the natural ecosystem.

  • Trees require CO2 from the atmosphere as an essential component for photosynthesis. As a result of photosynthesis, trees produce energy for themselves alongside oxygen and water. If enough trees are planted, then the excess CO2 from the atmosphere can be absorbed quickly, thus having a purifying effect.

Trees Act As Natural Air Conditioners

  • Trees produce oxygen and water from photosynthesis. The tree leaves have tiny openings called stomata. Water exits the leaves via stomata. This effect results in the general cooling of the environment.

Contrary to trees, civil infrastructure, including asphalt roads, tends to absorb heat. These structures then radiate heat, even during nighttime, thus making the environment warmer.

  • If enough trees are planted, this heating effect can be minimized. Trees should be kept in good shape for optimal growth. Regular pruning keeps the trees healthy. Hire a professional tree pruning company so trees in urban settings can be pruned for maximum growth.

Trees Conserve Water

  • A typical tree requires almost 15 gallons of water per day to function normally; however, the same tree gives back about 200-450 gallons of water to the environment daily.

If the tree has an adequate leaf cover, its shade helps protect the ground and the vegetation around its trunk. The shade prevents direct sunlight from reaching the ground, and as a result, evaporation is slowed down. As a result, the soil remains moist for a longer period.

Trees Filter Water & Prevent Water Pollution

  • The trees’ water cycle helps filter and conserve water. For example, the tree roots can absorb contaminated water from the soil, and filtered water vapors exit the tree leaves after photosynthesis.

Similarly, stormwater contains high levels of contaminants such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Trees help reduce the impact of rainfall on the soil and promote its absorption into the soil. In this way, trees prevent stormwater from directly polluting the oceans and rivers.

Trees Protect Soil & Prevent Soil Erosion

  • trees help change climateThe tree root system is essential for absorbing water from the soil. The intricate web of roots helps to keep chunks of soil together. While this webbing of roots supports the tree, it also helps keep the soil in place.

Most tree roots travel several meters down and across from where the tree is located. If the area experiences unexpectedly high levels of rainfall, this root system helps prevent soil erosion.

  • The tree’s leaf cover also prevents soil erosion, especially if the soil is bare around the tree. The leaves act as a partial barrier against the rainfall, thus reducing the speed and force of the rain droplets. Hence, the damage to the soil is minimized, and soil erosion is prevented. It is essential to correctly prune the tree, so it does not lose more of its leaf cover than required.

A professionally pruned tree is your best defense against climate change and its negative effects. Hence, it is recommended to hire a professional tree pruning company. We at American Tree Experts Inc offer various services, including pruning, nutrient management, and pest control. So call us today at 973-774-6091 and let us help you keep your trees healthy.

Top 9 Tree Cabling Pros and Cons – What You Need To Know

tree cabling pros and cons

Learn tree cabling pros and cons to understand whether its needed or not

Trees add to the aesthetics of any landscape or home. However, they can also be a threat or danger in some cases. Tree cabling and bracing are effective methods to reduce the hazards of certain trees whilst keeping them in their natural environment.

Pros And Cons Of Tree Cabling

There are some pros and cons associated with the tree cabling process. Read more about them to find out whether your tree should be cabled or not.

Pros

Lengthens The Lifespan Of Trees

  • Cabling can help increase the lifespan of a tree by preventing it from falling or having major branches break off. It also helps the tree manage its weight better so it doesn’t develop any bark conditions or crack in places.

Helps Make Trees Safe

  • Trees can be a safety hazard at times if they lean too much or are too heavy at the top. They can fall over at any minute or have a thick branch fall off. Tree cabling ensures that these hazardous trees are made safe by holding the structure together and preventing accidents.

Required For Legal Compliance

  • In some cases, certain trees need to be cabled to comply with local rules and regulations. The fines for not complying with these legalities can mount up a lot. Using tree cabling helps avoid any issues with the authorities in the long term.

A Good Alternative For Pruning

  • In some cases, the tree is not in the right condition or season to be pruned. Early pruning may stunt the tree’s growth and cause issues. Hence, to keep the tree stable till pruning season, it can be cabled so that the structure remains intact till pruning season.

Helps Maintain The Tree’s Structure

  • Lastly, tree cabling can help the tree maintain its structure. This ensures a beautiful and full crown that provides maximum shade without being a threat. It can also strengthen the tree for additional structures like swings and treehouses.

Cons

Tree Cabling Can Be Expensive

  • Generally, tree cabling is an expensive procedure that should only be done on trees that are important to a locality or home. You do not want to have this procedure done on a tree that could be removed otherwise without losing anything substantial.

It’s A High Maintenance Procedure

  • tree cabling prosTree cabling is a high maintenance procedure. This is because the tree continues to grow after it has been cabled. This means that it has to be monitored and controlled to ensure the cabling is still effective.

Unprofessional Cabling Can Cause Damage

  • When having a tree cabled, you need to make sure that you hire a professional agency that can properly cable the tree. If the tree is not properly cabled, it can sustain damage to its structure and bark. Therefore it can end up becoming harmful in the long run.

May Need To Be Removed For Pruning

  • When the time for pruning the tree arrives, removing the cabling can be expensive. It puts the entire effort to waste as the materials might not be used up again. Therefore consider how long you need the tree secured before going through with tree cabling.

At American Tree Experts, Inc. we offer the best services to keep your plants out of harm’s way. Our tree cabling service makes sure that your trees are secured and protected. Our most sought out services are pruning, bracing, pest management, and nutritional management. We offer services in Montclair, New Jersey. Call us at 973-744-6091 for a free quote.