Tree cabling and bracing now can protect your trees against adverse weather!

Tree cabling and bracing can provide aged or damaged trees the additional support they need.

It’s a new year, and while we’re still in the middle of winter, there are some important things we can do for our trees. Whether those trees live in our front and backyards, or they are part of a commercial property’s landscape, maintenance is essential. Part of that maintenance is tree cabling and tree bracing.

January 2018 started off with a series of rains our trees and plants need. However, a combination of factors from throughout the previous year have left many trees vulnerable to failure. Weakened root systems, or damaged branches and trunks, could lead to a tree’s collapse. Proper pruning, tree cabling, and bracing, can reduce or eliminate this risk.

It may seem strange to consider these risks as we enter a sorely needed wet season. However, 2017 was filled with a variety of factors that could put your trees at risk.

A year of adversity

January and February 2017 marked the end of a multi-year drought. An unprecedented downpour affected the entire state, causing flooding, quenching parched soil, and restoring reservoirs across all of California. It was followed by a super bloom of greenery, which was then immediately followed by one of the hottest summers on record. With the super bloom dried out by triple-digit temperatures, the state was in prime condition for one of the worst fire seasons on record.

These conditions have placed millions of California’s trees at risk of failure. The drought-like conditions of the summer and fall months could have led to stressed trees in residential locations. The high winds during the storms in early 2017 caused obvious damage to tree branches, occasionally affecting tree trunks.

Root systems weakened due to drought or disease are also a major hazard. Early 2017 is proof that even healthy trees could be blown over thanks to high winds and water-soaked soil. As the Santa-Ana winds have tragically shown in Southern California, there is a major fire hazard to be concerned with. However, gusts of the Santa Ana winds can reach hurricane force, and trees already weakened by drought or disease can present a serious danger.

Tree cabling and bracing may protect your trees and your property!

There are no guarantees against the full wrath of Mother Nature. However, there are things you can do to safeguard your trees as we begin 2018.

If you haven’t yet, inspect your trees for obvious signs of trouble. Broken or damaged branches, obvious splits in the trunk, both may be an important clue. If you’re not certain, an arborist can provide a definitive assessment of your trees. If the tree is leaning dangerously, or a split in the trunk is threatening to expand, tree cabling and bracing are options. The additional support provided by cables or braces can prevent tree fall, splits in the trunk, and worse. Combined with other aspects of tree care, it’s possible even for damaged trees to recover from injury or disease, and remain standing.

Regardless of whether or not your trees need the cabling or bracing, getting a tree inspection is very important. If forecasts remain as is, January promises rainy and windy weather. Tree cabling or bracing could prevent a serious accident.