Tree Cabling

Not all trees that have a lean need to be removed.  In fact the Certified Arborists at Goodfellers Tree and Excavating would rather save a tree than remove it.  One strategy that can be used at times is called Cabling.  Cabling can be used where a tree with two or more main trunks has weakened and is beginning to split.  It is a process that involves attaching a cable to each trunk to increase the strength of both.  Roger Cook, a landscaping contractor who writes for This Old House Magazine recommends only hiring a Certified Arborists to do the work, "this is not a do-it-yourself project".

So what is cabling?  Roger Cook writes:

 "Once an arborist determines the right height for one or two cables, he'll climb the tree and drill a hole through each main branch and insert a threaded, galvanized eyebolt that is held in place with a large washer and two nuts. The two eyes are connected using steel cable. To keep the trunk from splitting, he may also drill crisscrossing holes through the trunk for threaded rods. The tree will eventually grow over and hide the rods, but it can't be allowed to cover the eyebolts, which have to be inspected, and perhaps adjusted, every year or two as the trunks grow. An overgrown cable-eye connection may lose its ability to move with the tree and cause the cable to snap."

If you have any trees you are concerned about, please give Goodfellers Tree and Excavating a call at 540-710-9665 or visit our web site goodfellertreeco.com and we will be more than happy to inspect your trees for free and offer a comprehensive plan to protect and improve the beauty of your property.