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How to keep your tree safe and secure – Determining if your tree needs cabling
Deep-rooted and fully-grown trees have significant strength and resilience and do not budge easily. Nevertheless, certain trees may experience structural weakness due to diseases or extended exposure to severe weather conditions. Additional support in the form of cabling and bracing is necessary to ensure trees maintain their structural integrity and do not pose risks to surrounding properties or individuals.
But how to determine your tree needs cabling and bracing? Continue reading to find out the answer.
A V-Crotch Stem
- One surefire sign that your tree needs cabling and bracing is the presence of a v-crotch stem. When a tree has two large stems or leaders that emerge from the same trunk, it can create what is known as a v-crotch stem. Unfortunately, since insufficient tissue supports both stems, one or both stems are susceptible to failing, especially during harsh weather.
While removing one of the stems is possible without causing harm to a young tree, this is not possible for mature trees. Removing a large stem from a mature tree can lead to stem failure and affect the tree’s aesthetic appeal. However, stem failure can be prevented by using cabling and bracing to support the v-crotch stem, thereby reducing the risk of stem breaking in the future.
Presence Of A Lean Structure
- Over time, trees may naturally develop a lean structure as they adapt to their environment in search of optimal sunlight. However, if your tree has an extreme lean that poses a risk to your home or another structure, consider using cabling and bracing to support the lean structure.
Similarly, soil erosion or storms weaken the tree’s anchorage into the soil, causing the tree to lean on one side. This can become dangerous if the tree falls on a nearby structure with little force. Again, cabling and bracing can help secure the tree in the opposite direction and stabilize it.
Overextended Limbs
- Overextended limbs are branches that have grown longer and are more significant than the trunk of a tree can easily support. These limbs often extend horizontally and are weighed down by their foliage. When a tree is older, it struggles significantly if disease, pests, drought, or extreme weather conditions have weakened it.
To prevent these overextended branches from breaking off, cabling can be used to limit the amount of movement in the branch. Cabling involves use of strong cables and bolts to secure the branch to the tree trunk. In some cases, an arborist may also use bracing to provide additional support for large, overextended branches.
Presence of Weak Sections
Mature trees may have weakened sections that could fail, causing harm or damage. For example, a large hollow in the trunk can significantly compromise the tree’s ability to withstand strong winds. Cracks or splits at the junction of branches or stems can also indicate potential failure.
A falling branch could pose a severe risk if the tree is located near a building or a public area. To address these issues, brace rods can be used to repair splits or prevent weakened sections from splitting in the future.
If you spot these warning signs in your trees and plants, contact American Tree Experts for cabling and bracing services. We offer the best services to keep your plants out of harm’s way. Our experts will thoroughly survey the trees and propose suitable methodologies for bracing plants. Call us at 973-744-6091 to get a free estimate of the services. We operate in Montclair, New Jersey, and nearby areas.