Underhill's Tree & Shrub Care Tips

We have all seen the damaging effects the wrath of Mother Nature can have on our trees during storm conditions. The force of severe winds and lightning, or the weight of heavy snow and ice build up can cause large limbs to snap away from the main trunk.

Cabling involves installing strong steel cables between branches which protects the tree by transferring some of the weight of a weak branch to a stronger one. This may prevent the weaker limb from breaking away during rough weather. Limbs that have grown out almost horizontally from the trunk will tend to be weaker than limbs growing more upright. A tree with two dominant leaders growing from a "Y" crotch is more susceptible to breakage than a tree with a single dominant leader. Any tree crotch that has "included bark", meaning bark that has grown inside the crotch, is a potential weak spot. And finally, branches which have stress cracks from any source, are cause for concern. Any of these conditions could lead to branch failure in rough weather, and cabling may be necessary to reduce additional stresses and help support the weak portions of your tree.

Bracing utilizes long threaded metal rods with washers and nuts to link two limbs together to help prevent "fork splitting" at a potentially weak crotch. This method may also be used where breakage has already occurred, but the branch has not yet split to any great degree. Depending upon your trees' condition, several rods may be required to prevent further splitting and to prevent the infiltration of moisture and rot organisms.

In most circumstances, we will recommend your tree be pruned to remove any potentially hazardous limbs, or to thin out the crown to help improve the trees' structure and improve air circulation. It also may be advisable to deep root fertilize your tree to encourage and maintain healthy growth after cabling or bracing.

Protecting your trees from potentially damaging storms will not only be less expensive and easier to handle than the aftermath of downed limbs or trees. Call Underhill's today for a no charge analysis on the health and safety factor of your trees. The piece of mind will be worth the phone call.

This can obviously be an extremely hazardous situation when the trees are located close to where we live, work and play. Although we will never be able to entirely compensate against the forces of nature, cabling and bracing your trees can provide artificial support and help to reduce further stress and potential property damage.

Did You Know?

One acre of trees can produce enough oxygen to keep 18 people alive.