 3/8" Steel Cable holds the two leads of this
oak toghther.
Cables provide additional support to tightly
forked branches or poorly attached limbs which might otherwise
break, particularly in storm events. Cables are installed
approximately 2/3rds the way to the top of the limb and are made of
high strength steel attached with steel lags or eyebolts. Cables are
somewhat ridgid and provide support but can compromise the
tree's ability to transfer wind energy by swaying. Cables generally
last about 20 years before they are outgrown by the tree and older
cables may succumb to rust and should be checked periodically,
certainly whenever a tree is pruned.
The process of cabling is designed to
aid in stabilizing a tree so that it can better withstand the
stresses of bad weather and environmental stresses. It is
quite important to use a professional ISA approved procedure for
cabling, since it is possible to weaken a tree if cables are
installed improperly improperly. There are many different
way to cable/brace tree every system is designed to meet the
specific need of each individual tree.
One of the newest bracing system that we use is call
a Cobra system. This is a dynamic system that is non-invasive
and actually grows with the tree. This system is excellent for
primary landscape trees that have multiple trunks. One additional
advantage of this system is that it allows the tree to bend and sway
with the wind as it naturally would. It provides additional
support when the tree most needs it but it has give in it like a
bungie cord. This greatly reducing the jarring force that
occurs when a cable is strected to its
limit.
| 
