Trees are a great way to add value to your property, and provide a whole host of benefits to the environment and people around them. However, the downside is that trees can often develop structural issues – often due to storms, harsh weather conditions or incorrect growth. An unstable tree can cause significant problems, with breakage, complete failure and falling all unwanted possibilities.
Instability and problems don’t always signal the end for the tree, however. It’s often possible to use strategies to support the tree, rather than simply removing it. Tree cabling and bracing are techniques used by professional arborists to reduce the risk of the compromised tree failing. Cabling and bracing are designed to provide supplemental support to a structurally weak tree. These are proactive techniques that help prevent problems from developing later on, and help reduce potential risks, damage and costs.
What’s the difference between cabling and bracing?
Tree cabling involves the use of a high-strength tensile steel cable installed in the tree’s upper crown, to limit branch movement. The cables are anchored to specific points in the tree. This makes the tree and its branches less likely to break and fall during strong winds or storms. Correctly fitted cables help to redistribute the load of the canopy, decreasing structural stress and allowing tree branches to support each other.
Tree bracing provides stronger support than a cable, and involves the use of a long threaded rod inserted through weak branches and stems. This pulls branches or stems in the desired direction, and helps prevent splitting and twisting during violent weather.
How does tree cabling and bracing help?
Cabling and bracing are highly effective techniques that allow you to save your valuable tree from destruction. Benefits include:
- Prolonging the life of a desirable tree
- Reducing the hazard potential of a tree
- Stabilising weakened or split crotches in trees
- Reducing the likelihood of failure in a structurally weak but otherwise healthy tree
- Supporting heavy, horizontal branches
- Holding rubbing limbs together or apart
Signs your tree might need cabling or bracing
So, how can you tell if bracing or cabling is something your tree might need?
The best way, of course, is to get your tree assessed by a qualified arborist, who will be able to accurately assess the problem and recommend the right solution. Cabling and bracing are typically used when a tree shows signs of structural weakness. Here are some of the signs of structural problems and tree decline that indicate it’s time to get in touch with that arborist:
- Cracking or vertical splits in the tree trunk or limb structures
- Co-dominant stems (multiple tree trunks which are competing for space)
- Back inclusion (also known as ingrown bark, when two co-dominant stems grow too close together and bark grows in the groove of the dividing point, substantially weakening the tree)
- Subsidence
- Steep crotch angles (the angle between the main branches and the trunk)
- Poor branching habit with large, overextended branches
- Lopsided or unbalanced tree canopy
- Branches that move excessively or aren’t well attached to the main tree trunk
Tree faults such as these can sometimes be difficult to identify, so if you suspect that your tree might have a problem, it’s always best to consult a professional arborist.
How long will it last?
Tree cables and braces, when properly installed, can easily last between 20 and 40 years. The key here is to get them properly installed by a qualified and licenced arborist – this is not a DIY job, and you could end up doing more harm than good if you try it yourself. It requires professionals with extensive training and specialised tools to do the job properly, and reduce the risks involved with the procedure. Plus, if cabling is done incorrectly, it may damage or sometimes even kill a tree.
Time is of the essence
Tree cabling and bracing is effective – as long as the problem is identified in time and these techniques are employed as early as possible. Like most things in life, nothing is gained by procrastinating.
Aftercare
Tree cables and braces won’t need a lot of aftercare as long as they have been properly installed in the first place. The supports and hardware will need to be periodically inspected for damage and corrosion by a professional arborist, to ensure their continued integrity. A yearly annual inspection from the ground is all that’s usually needed, with a close-up assessment by climbing every three to five years. As well, the integrity of the tree itself which anchors the hardware should also be periodically assessed.
Will cabling and bracing damage a tree?
Not if installed correctly (but if not, then potentially yes). Girdling, when a tree’s growth is impeded by the cables, can be a real problem with improper installation – you need professionals who know how and where to properly support the tree. Skill and experience will help prevent serious damage, or even death of the tree. When correctly installed, the tree will be able to maintain its natural growth around the cable or brace with no problems.
Is there anything I can do to prevent the need for cabling or bracing?
Cabling or bracing are necessary when problems have already developed in a tree. Good tree care and management can help prevent these problems and the need for extra support. Think regular pruning, effective pest management and proper fertilisation – all the things we can help you with here at Heritage Tree Care: https://www.heritagetreecare.com.au/
What to do if you think your tree might need help
Your first step, as mentioned above, is to consult a professional arborist to assess your problem tree. If support is deemed necessary, your tree might need to be pruned before any kind of support system is installed. The cabling or bracing will be fitted by a qualified arborist (such as those you’ll find at Heritage Tree Care: https://www.heritagetreecare.com.au/) and will then need to be inspected periodically.
For professional cabling and bracing services in Brisbane, Redlands, Ipswich, Logan, Toowoomba, or the Gold Coast areas, get in contact for a free quote today: https://www.heritagetreecare.com.au/contact-us/