Cabling

Cabling is a preventative measure used to enhance the architectural stability of your tree. Typical candidates for cabling include trees with genetic defects such as bark inclusions (picture), trees with abnormally long or large scaffold limbs, storm damaged trees (or trees prone to storm damage), or trees where failure would almost certainly result in a high value target (e.g. a child's bedroom). Historically, cabling consisted of drilling through a tree to install bolts, and fastening the bolts with a steel cable. This potentially causes three problems. First, drilling into a tree opens it up to fungal colonizers that create rot. Second, introducing a rigid steel cable into a tree's inherently flexible architecture is contrary to its nature. Watch a tree sway in the wind and it soon becomes apparent that much of its strength is due to its flexibility. Finally, because steel cables are installed fully tightened, they give the tree a false sense of stability and do not promote internal production of periderm tissue that acts to strengthen the tree. While steel cables are applicable in certain situations, Limbwalker most often recommends and installs dynamic non-invasive cables. Dynamic cables are spliced inside an anti-chafing sleeve around the stem at approximately 2/3 the height of the tree. Due to their installation height, thinness, and black color they are not obtrusive. COBRA cables are German engineered UV stable woven fiber ropes available in #1,300, #4,000, #9,000, and #16,000 tensile strengths. Schedule an appointment to determine if any of your trees would benefit from cable installation. Note: It is important to have cables routinely inspected. Even steel cables have a finite life due to fatigue and continued growth of the tree.