Trees are truly the silent stalwarts of our yards. As they mature and stretch towards the sky, some branches can start to bear heavy loads or even form weak points connecting to the trunk.
While certain species, like the robust sugar maples, carry their hefty branches with relative ease, others, such as beeches or red maples, might have a harder time handling the weight, especially under additional stressors like heavy snowfall.
This is where the expertise of tree-removing companies like Earthworks Tree Services Inc. steps in! By proactively using tree limb supports, you can decrease the risk of property damage and help your tree stay healthy for longer. In this article, we’ll delve into supporting your tree limbs and how to do it right!
Diagnosing Tree Troubles: Identifying Common Structural Defects
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of supporting tree limbs, it’s essential to understand the common structural defects a tree might have that would necessitate additional reinforcement. Some potential concerns might include:
- Wounded Warriors: Dead, diseased, dying, or broken branches that result from poor growth, storms, or pests. Depending on the severity, these branches may need to be removed or pruned and may not always be suitable for additional support. A certified arborist can make the right call on this.
- Feeling Under The Weather: Thinning or poor canopy health can arise from environmental stressors or pests, leading to an unbalanced canopy that houses dead and overexposed branches.
- Unstable Connections: Trees can sometimes have unstable branching patterns with overextending or weakly attached branches, which can’t always be resolved simply through pruning.
- Minor Injuries: Small cracks or seams in the bark that extend into the tree’s wood could result from weather-related incidents or lightning strikes.
Supporting Acts: Different Types of Tree Support Systems
Tree limb supports can aid branches, leaders, or even entire trees. The right support can limit branch movement, making trees safer and healthier.
Here are a few common types of support systems:
Cabling: The Lifelines
Tree limb support cables are akin to lifelines for branches or codominant stems. By restricting how far a branch can move concerning the rest of the tree, cables prevent branches from bending to the breaking point.
They can be particularly useful for supporting a weak fork or overextended branches. A certified arborist will assess your tree and determine the necessary cables or if brace rods need to be paired with the cables. If you’re installing a lightning protection system, too, the arborist will ensure all components are interconnected.
Brace Rods: The Spine Strengtheners
In some cases, certified arborists use brace rods when your tree has multiple leaders with a weak attachment point. These rods are like spine strengtheners, reducing the risk of the leaders spreading and breaking apart.
These can even help repair already separated forks or split branches. Brace rods are usually installed with at least one cable above for support.
Tree Stakes: The Root Supporters
Tree stakes serve a slightly different function than brace rods and cables. They’re used mainly to keep newly planted or moved trees upright and secure the rootball until it establishes itself in the surrounding soil.
However, tree staking is only sometimes encouraged as trees with adequate root systems usually don’t need staking, and some flexibility in the wind is necessary for good stem strength. Stakes can benefit trees planted on steep slopes, in loose soil, or those with top-heavy, large crowns. A certified arborist will regularly inspect and adjust these stakes, removing them as soon as the tree is stable.
The Arborist Advantage: Why You Should Hire a Tree Expert?
Nobody wants to see their beloved tree becoming a hazard with heavy branches teetering precariously. Inadequate tree care or neglect can lead to defects that result in weak branches or the need for tree limb support.
Certified arborists like those at Earthworks Tree Services Inc. can offer tree health and risk assessments to identify defects before they become substantial issues. They can design and install a suitable support system for your tree and provide ongoing inspections and maintenance. Identifying tree defects requires training and experience – catching these problems early can save you money and avoid potential damage or loss of your leafy companions.