Tree Cabling & Bracing
When trees grow their limbs can grow to be extremely large, and those limbs can be quite dangerous if they ever fall from the tree, landing on the property or injuring someone standing nearby. Sometimes it can be easy to spot a limb that looks like it could be likely to fall, and there are a few methods of preventing that instead of having it removed altogether. If the limb is hanging precariously it can be cabled or braced to the rest of the tree, adding additional support to it and helping to guide the growth of the branch in the right direction.
Inspection If you have concerns over a tree that looks like it might drop a limb, then it's best to call a professional to come and have a look at it. The tree technicians at Jackson Tree Service Pros have been trained to know the warning signs of an unstable tree and know how to deal with them, they can come and inspect your problem tree and assess the damage, checking if cabling and bracing is appropriate and what the initial cause of the problem is. In most cases, the reason is that the tree was pruned too early as it was growing, but if the tree has some sort of disease then cabling might not be an option. Planning Once your tree has been inspected and deemed appropriate for reinforcement, a lot of other technicians will rush in to start bracing the tree without putting too much thought into it, but we like to create a growth plan and try to think ahead with our cable and brace placement. When the reinforcements have been added in the right places according to the plan that our technician prepares beforehand, then they not only support the limb but they also help to guide it as the tree grows, meaning that the limb requires less support as it grows rather than more. Cabling Cabling a tree to add reinforcement is the process of adding high tensile steel cables from the weak part of the limb to the stronger section of the tree to support it and prevent the limbs from dropping. These cables are affixed with steel hardware into the tree, providing a strong and reliable means of support for the tree. As the plant grows it's important to have it inspected over the first 6-12 months to ensure that the cable is fully supporting the limb, over time the tree may require a few adjustments but usually after a year or so the tree will be self-supporting again. Bracing Bracing is the next step up from cabling a tree, it uses solid steel rods to provide an anchor into the stable section of the tree to help lock it down tightly. These rods are threaded right through the tree and bolted into place, preventing any unwanted movement in the limbs of the tree and helping to completely support its weight. As with the cables, over time it will require an inspection to make sure the brace is doing its job, and in some cases, more braces may need to be added if the tree has grown unpredictably. |
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