Cabling, Bracing & Guying

Supplemental support systems are used to reduce the high risk of failure to weak points of a tree and can extend the life of a tree when advisable. The placement of these systems requires a high level of expertise; improper installations can actually increase the potential for breakage. Installing these structural supports should be based on the recommendations of a Certified Arborist, once installed follow-up inspections should be done annually or more often if needed depending on each situation and conditions such as ice build-up or excessive winds. Guying or staking is usually for establishment of newly planted trees or straightening of trees that have been partially tilted possibly by a recent storm that will require additional support to keep them upright. Unfortunately, routinely in the case of the latter there may be an underlying defect of the root zone usually near the trunk that it will be to impractical to save the tilted tree.